


Separated - A Nellis/L4D2 Fanfiction

by satellite_dream



Category: L4D, L4D2 - Fandom, Left 4 Dead 2, Nellis - Fandom
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nellis, Smut, oblivious mutual crushes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-16
Updated: 2018-06-26
Packaged: 2018-12-02 23:54:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 37
Words: 48,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11520183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/satellite_dream/pseuds/satellite_dream
Summary: What happens when the group gets split into two? Will romances form or will they drift even further apart? Read to find out!Note: I am also posting this on Wattpad under the Username Satellite_dream.





	1. Chapter One

 It's funny, if you would've asked them last week if they would be where they are today, they all would've said no. Although, it makes sense. No one expects to be in a dim room with a bookshelf covering the door to hide them from the zombies outside.  
That's another thing they never expected: zombies. Sure they had all wondered if it would ever happen, but no one ever believed it really would. Well, except one. The youngest. He was a Savannahite who had it in his mind that the apocalypse was close. Boy was he right.  
There were four of them in total, three men and one woman. The eldest, a 44 year old man who introduced himself as Coach became the leader figure of their ragtag team. The next eldest was a 35 year old man who introduced himself as Nick and claimed he was going to separate from them once they escaped Savannah. He didn't. Then, there was the woman. She introduced herself as Rochelle and claimed she worked in news. Rochelle was 28 and, even though she wasn't the oldest, she was the most maternal and parent like towards the rest, especially the youngest. The youngest, a 23 year old mechanic named Ellis, was the most outgoing of the four. He quickly befriended them all and his chipper personality soon rubbed off on the rest of them.  
Well, except Nick. Nick was undoubtedly the pessimist of the group. His thoughts always seemed to be on the negative side of things. That's exactly where they were now.  
"God damnit there is no way we are making it out of this shit show alive."  
"Naw, Nick. Ah think we'll make it! Jus' gotta believe we will an we will!"  
Nick scoffed.  
"Yeah, don't think so, kid."  
With that, it was silent again until Coach's booming voice sounded.  
"Alright y'all. We've gotta get some rest. We all did good today. Gotta keep our strength up. I'll take first watch. Who wants second?"  
Rochelle piped up.  
"I'll take it."  
"I'll take third."  
"Ah guess that leaves me with last then."  
"Okay then. Goodnight y'all. When y'all are on watch and hear something big, wake the rest up. Don't want anythin' gettin' anyone."  
With that, they all retired to their respective spots on the floor that they chose to be their beds for the night.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"Nick. Nick wake up."  
He felt someone shaking his shoulder,bringing him out of sleep. He opened his gray eyes, meeting Rochelle's brown ones.  
"Hey, Ro."  
She chuckled.  
"Damn, Nick. You are one heavy sleeper. I was shaking you for like five minutes."  
"Heh. Sorry, Ro. You can go to sleep now. I'm up."  
"Alright. Goodnight then."  
"Night."  
Over all, it was a relatively quiet night. Well, except for the quiet talking he heard from Ellis. He even talked in his sleep. He literally never shut up.  
When it came time for him to wake the hick up he couldn't wait. He was still tired and wanted to catch a couple more hours of shut eye before they had to get moving again. He walked over to where the boy was. He still had that dumb hat on his head. Why didn't he take it off? Nick just shrugged and bent down and began to shake the kid's shoulder.  
"Ellis. Ellis, wake up."  
Ellis groaned and rolled over.  
"Mama, I don't work today."  
Nick felt a small, sad smile creep onto his face. He tried again.  
"Ellis, come on man, it's your turn for watch." The boy groaned again but reluctantly opened his eyes, looking up at Nick.  
"Oh, sorry, Nick. I forgot what was goin' on. Hehe." He moved away from him and sat on the ground.  
"S'alright kid. There's only a couple more hours until daybreak. I'm gonna head back to sleep."  
"Okay, g'night, Nick."  
He barely had time to fall asleep when there was a loud howl from outside. He jolted awake. He looked around, seeing Coach and Rochelle do the same. Ellis had his gun pointed at the door, a terrified look on his face.  
"T-that's one of those big guys, ain't it?"  
Coach stood up.  
"Yeah. I think so. That means we better get moving out the back way. Nick, come help me move the desk from that door. No one touch this door or bookshelf. Stay quiet. Do no alert that thing. Baby girl, you and Ellis get all the supplies ready to go."  
With that, he began walking toward the back of the building. Nick followed, but not before his eyes met Ellis', fear still prominent in them. Rochelle turned to him.  
"C'mon, Ellis. Let's get the first aid stuff and guns ready to go. We can't stick around here long."  
They worked as quickly and quietly as they could. Not long after, they heard a loud bang then swearing from the back room. They all froze. Coach and Nick dropped the desk. They heard the growling grow stronger and angrier. They had to move now. Ellis and Rochelle grabbed all the supplies and they quickly made their way to the back to meet up with Nick and Coach.

/\/\/\/\/\

They snuck out the back of the building, quietly moving down the back alley. There weren't any infected, which is how they wanted to keep it. They quickly reached the next building and rushed in. Nick and Coach began searching, making sure there were no infected, while Ellis and Rochelle blocked the door. A few minutes later, Coach and Nick regrouped.  
"Upstairs is clear."  
"So is down here."  
So much for Nick getting anymore sleep.

/\/\/\/\/\/\

They move about their new makeshift safe house, deciding they can not stay around much longer, but that they could stay around for a couple more hours before hitting the road. Everyone was calming down now from their tank encounter, but they knew that it was still lingering around not far away. No one knew what to say, until Ellis decided to chip in with another Keith story.  
"Ah ever tell y'all bout the time Keith an' I went ta the street fair? Well, Keith thought it'd be a good idea to eat a bunch a hot dogs then get on tha Zero Gravity. Oh ho man, the other riders never stood chance! I mean his puke was-"  
"Boy, we ain't got time for this. We gotta get plannin'."  
"Okay."  
The boy wasn't phased in the slightest. He just shrugged and continued cleaning his gun. Nick wasn't sure how the kid managed to keep a smile on his face throughout all of this. The world was in the toilet and everyone he loved was probably dead, or worse, but he always smiled.  
Frankly, it infuriated Nick. Apparently, his face showed it. Rochelle caught a glimpse of his face and walked over to him.  
"Nick, wipe that scowl off your face. Pretend you don't hate him for five minutes, please. He's just a kid."  
He scoffed. "Yeah, right."  
She just gave him a look and walked back towards Coach.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

I want to bring the L4D2 Fandom back up, because I am still trapped in it and can not get out. Yes, I'm trying on Ellis' accent, but not too hard lmao. I know there wasn't much plot yet, but it is only the introductory chapter. I also know the name doesn't make sense yet, but again, it will. I have a shit load of time on my hands so I will quickly be able to update this, so expect another chapter soon!  
-M.


	2. Chapter Two

Hey, guys! Thanks for the feedback and all that! Well, without further a do, Chapter Two!  
/\/\/\/\

Chapter Two

 

"Hey, Nick. Can ya come help me for a minute?"   
Ellis was in charge of searching the upstairs for useful supplies. Nick didn't answer, he just walked up the steps to join the boy in searching.

/\/\/\/\

"Look what I found."   
Nick held a carton of cigarettes in his hand as he walked out of the master bedroom. Ellis shot him a look.  
"Those are bad fer ya, Nick. Did ya find anythin' useful?"  
"Nope. Just these and a lighter to match."  
They went back downstairs. There, Rochelle and Coach were waiting to see what the men found.   
"Anything?"   
"Well, Nick found some cancer sticks and a lighter, but other than that? No."  
"Nothing here either. Coach said the street looks pretty calm right now. So we should get going."   
They all silently agreed and gathered their supplies. Nick took a cigarette out of the pack and lit it. He didn't typically smoke, but the apocalypse seemed like a good time to start.

/\/\/\/\/\

"God damn it! Why can't anything ever go our way? Is that too much to ask?"   
"Apparently."   
They hadn't barely gotten out of the city when their hot wired car sputtered to a stop on the middle of the highway.  
"Ah guess we're walkin. Maybe there is an off ramp soon."  
"Young 'ns right. Let's get goin' before the sun sets." 

/\/\/\/\/\

So, they began walking. Sure enough, about after three miles, there was an off ramp. They ended up in another random city, but it seemed to be relatively in one piece, apart from the zombies. They used their melee weapons as to not attract too much attention, and high tailed it into a motel close to the edge of the city.  
The motel itself was in pretty good shape. Even the mini bars in the rooms were stocked! Of course, Nick dug into them immediately, pulling out some whiskey and gin.   
"Nick, you may not wanna get wasted just in case we gotta get out of here in a hurry."  
He audibly laughed.  
"Ro. There is alcohol here. I am drinking it. I think we all earned at least one drink."  
"Ah agree with Nick. Ah could go for a drink."  
Rochelle and Coach exchanged looks.   
"Okay, boys, go ahead and drink. Coach and I will go look around for supplies, okay? Do not get absolutely shit faced, please."  
"Fine."  
"You got it, Ro. Be careful you two."  
With that, they left. Nick and Ellis quickly barricaded the door back up, then settled down on the bed with the bottles. Nick grabbed the whiskey and took a swig.  
"Ahh, damn. I've missed this."  
"It almost feels like it isn't the end of tha god damned world, ya know?"  
"Almost." 

/\/\/\/\/\

They weren't drunk, but they both were slightly buzzed when they first heard the screaming. They unbarricaded the door and ran outside, guns in hand. That's when they saw it. Four tanks. They spotted Coach and Rochelle on the other side of them on the second floor of a building. Coach started yelling to them.  
"Y'ALL GO! TAKE THAT CAR THERE IT WORKS! WE'LL MEET YOU IN THE NEXT CITY IN A COUPLE DAYS!"   
They didn't have time to argue as the tanks began charging toward them. They jumped in the car and started off. Nick looked out the window as they started away.   
"BE CAREFUL! STAY SAFE! WE'LL BE WAITING!"  
Ellis had his eyes concentrated on the road, trying to keep his vision clear. He brought the car to a halt.  
"Oh ma goD, NICK WHAT THE HELL?!"  
"You gotta keep driving. The tanks are after the car, giving them time to find shelter. DRIVE, EL, DRIVE!"   
He pushed the pedal to the floor and the car sped off onto the highway. After about a mile, they lost the last tank. They saw the exit for the next city and took it. There were no words exchanged, just hope that Coach and Rochelle were okay.

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

They found a house in the suburbs that was unlocked, so they decided to use that as their safe house, once they deemed it safe, anyway. They blocked the doors and windows off before settling down on the couch. Ellis spoke up.  
"Ah think Ah'm gonna be sick."   
With that, he took off to find the bathroom. Nick followed. He opened the door and sat on the edge of the tub.   
"How...how could ya be so okay with them tellin' us ta just leave 'em?"  
Nick sighed and helped Ellis to his feet.  
"I'm not, El. I just keep telling myself that we gave them enough time to get outta dodge, and that they are strong enough to get through it and meet us here."   
Ellis looked at him with hopeful, yet sorrowful eyes.   
"Ah hope yer right."

/\/\/\/\/\/\

They decided to both sleep in the master bedroom, Nick taking first watch. Pretty soon, he was sitting in silence. His thoughts, however, were incredibly loud.   
Are they okay? Did we give them enough time? What if one of them was hurt? How long is a couple days?  
Those thoughts were making him nauseous, so he decided to try to get some fresh air. He quietly got up from the bed, as to not disturb Ellis, and made his way downstairs. The house had a backyard that was fenced in, so he figured he'd be okay if he sat on that porch.  
He leaned on the railing, taking a few long, deep breaths, trying to calm himself down.   
"Get ahold of yourself, man. A couple weeks ago you couldn't have cared less if these people died. Now you're having a panic attack thinking about them."   
As he tried to keep his breathing regular, he didn't hear the door slide open. When Ellis' hand landed on his shoulder, he nearly shit his pants.   
"H-holy shit!"   
He whirled around to see a slightly sleep- dazed but worried Ellis. He relaxed a bit.  
"God, kid, I could've clocked you."   
"It's okay ta be worried, Nick. No need to worry alone. Ah'm here."   
He couldn't hold it back anymore. Nick melted. His asshole ego disappeared and was replaced by a man who was worried sick about his new friends-new family. He gripped Ellis shoulders tight, trying to calm himself. He felt his breathing get harder and harder, then everything went black. 

/\/\/\/\/\

Ooooooooh it's starting to get interesting now! I'll be updating again really soon, I should really start a schedule, but as of right now I don't currently have one. Constructive criticism is welcome, as is all feedback! I'll talk to you guys soon!

-M.


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What happened after Nick passed out? Do they meet up with Coach and Rochelle? What was that noise? Read to find out!

Hey guys! Sorry for the wait! Here's chapter three!

/\/\/\/\

When Nick woke up, he had a moment of panic because he couldn't remember where he was and he was alone. Soon, the memories of the night came flooding back to him. He took a moment to take in his surroundings. He wasn't on the porch where he collapsed, but on the couch in the living room. He also noted that Ellis was nowhere in sight. Just as he was about to call out to the hick, he heard rustling from the adjacent kitchen and in walked Ellis through the archway separating the two rooms. 

"Nick! Yer okay! Ah was so scared, you started breathin' real heavy an' quick like an' Ah didn't know what to do! God, you've been passed out for like an hour!" 

Man, that kid could say 1,000 words in ten seconds. Nick had to spend a minute comprehending what he said before he spoke.

"Y-yeah. Uh, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

Ellis' expression turned serious.

"Nick. You've nothin' ta apologize for. Yer okay now, an' that's all that matters."

Nick looked away, embarrassed, and sat up so there was room for Ellis to sit on the couch beside him, where Ellis gratefully joined him. After a few minutes of silence, Ellis turned to Nick.

"Have you ever had one a them before?" 

Nick looked up from the spot he'd been staring at the floor and his gray eyes met Ellis' blue ones.

"No." 

Which was a lie, but he felt no need to divulge that secret to the boy.

"Then that musta been scary as hell for the both a us!" 

Ellis laughed before standing and extending his hand to help Nick up.

"C'mon, now. Ah think we should go try ta get some shut eye before mornin'. Ah think we can both sleep; I've checked everywhere in the house and there don't seem ta be any infected in sight." 

Nick took his hand and allowed himself to be pulled up.

"Alright, kid. But I doubt I'm getting anymore sleep tonight." 

Ellis' smile faltered, but he didn't say anything. 

/\/\/\/\/\

Ellis was an absolute wreck when Nick passed out, not that he'd ever tell Nick that. He didn't know what to do and nearly had a panic attack himself! After collecting himself, he hoisted Nick into his arms(which he partially fell into when he collapsed) and made his way to the living room. He decided the bedroom was too far, so the couch would have to be good enough for Nick to lay on. When he got Nick situated, he decided to look around to clear his own head.  
He looked for a good 45 minutes around the house and street, not that he'd tell Nick he'd left the house alone, and found no trace of infected anywhere. He didn't go off of the street where the house was, though. When he entered through the door he heard shuffling from the living room.

'Nick must be awake! Shit, Ah can't let him know Ah was gone!'  
With that thought in his head, he snuck into the kitchen and started rustling around a bit before turning to enter the living room. 

"Nick! Yer okay! Ah was so scared, you started breathin' real heavy an' quick like an' ah didn't know what to do! God, you've been passed out for like an hour!" 

/\/\/\/\

Nick didn't remember falling asleep, but when he woke up, Ellis' face was right in front of his own. Startled, he jumped back a bit. He looked to make sure his action didn't wake the hick. It didn't. He studied the boy's features for a few minutes before he caught himself and told himself that it was weird. He slowly sat up in the bed and felt a pounding just behind his eyes. 

"Damn emotions."

His panic attack managed to also leave him with an aching head. He made his way downstairs in search of the first aid kit.

/\/\/\/\/\

When he found the bottle of pills, he didn't hesitate to pop a few into his mouth and swallow them dry. Before the apocalypse he would've rather died that swallow pills without water, now, not so much. He sat down on the couch and put his head in his hands. In that position, he didn't see Ellis enter the room.

"Nick? Ya okay?" 

His voice was quiet and his accent was thick thanks to just waking up. Nick jumped.

"Geez, Ellis, you scared the shit out of me. Yeah, I'm fine. Just got a bit of a headache is all."

"Oh, sorry. Well, Ah'm gonna get somethin' ta eat, want me ta grab you a can?" 

"Yeah, that'd be nice." 

With that, Ellis made his way to the kitchen in search of some decent canned food for the pair. 

/\/\/\/\/\

"Here, ya go. Ah got us both peaches. Ah love peaches, bein' from Georgia Ah'm sure that's no shock, but I hoped you'd like 'em too." 

Lucky for Ellis, Nick loved peaches.

"Yeah, thanks."

They opened their cans and ate in silence. 

/\/\/\/\

The rest of the day passed slowly. The pair anxiously waited to see if their friends would show up. They didn't. However, they still held hope that their group would become whole again soon.  
It wasn't long after they retired for the night and were almost asleep that they heard a loud noise. The only problem was, it wasn't the noise of their friends.

"Nick, what the hell was that?!"

"I-I dunno. Stay here, stay quiet. I'm gonna take a look out the window."

With that, Nick slowly began to make his way toward the window, trying desperately to remain silent. He split the blinds so he could look out, and immediately shut them again and turned to Ellis.

"I think we should go. Now."

/\/\/\/\

"Why?! Nick what's out there?!" 

"Shh, keep your voice down. It's people. Not Coach and Ro, but people. They're getting overwhelmed by infected and we gotta move or we're next." 

Ellis' eyes opened wider.

"What blew up?" 

"Their engine. That must've alerted the horde. Get everything packed up, We gotta move."

"But what about Coach and Ro?" 

"I'll write a message on the wall and we'll have to pray that they see it." 

"......Okay. Give me five minutes then we're out."

/\/\/\/\/\

The note read:  
Coach, Ro. Other survivors came. Their engine blew up. Overwhelmed by horde. Had to move. See you in the next city.  
-Nick and Ellis

I'm sorry this chapter is up a bit later than the rest, to be honest it's just me procrastinating. But hey, here it is so yay! I'm also trying new formatting, let me know if it's okay!


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the two continue on their way, they find themselves holding a civil conversation.
> 
> But, wait, do you hear that?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! I'm on a road trip, so I have time on my hands, so here is a long chapter four to make up for the wait.
> 
> ALSO: I'm switching Ellis' I(Ah) back to I because there could potentially be confusion in some upcoming chapters ;)

"God damnit! Why can't anything go our way?! Just once, I want to do something and the world be like 'hey, Nick, you're trying, buddy, so here you go.'"

"It ain't that bad, Nick. We'll make do. All we gotta do it walk for a bit."

As luck would have it, the car broke down not far out of the city, having no gas left to push it any further. To make matters worse, it was the middle of the night. Walking through a zombie infested state in the dark was not something that Nick would call 'not bad'.   
They gathered their supplies, what little they had left (they may have forgotten some during their panicked escape) and started walking.   
There weren't any infected in sight, what little they had, so that was good. What, in Nick's opinion, wasn't good was that Ellis had begun to hum a song as they walked. What also wasn't good was that he was good. It made Nick want to punch him in the neck. Why? He wasn't entirely sure, but it did. 

"El, shut up."

For a moment, Ellis looked shocked, but that faded into his typical grin.

"Alrighty. I ever tell yew 'bout the time Keith an' I made our own alcohol? Granted, we didn't know nothin' 'bout it, but Keith said that rubbin' alcohol wou-"

"Wait. You drank rubbing alcohol?"

"Well, no. Keith tried it an' said it was shitty. So we threw it out and bought some instead." 

Ellis was ecstatic, this was one of the first times that he ever semi-finished one of his stories! His face clearly displayed his excitement. The look on Nick's face was a cross between annoyed and disgusted. The kid's hick friend drank rubbing alcohol to try to get drunk for god's sake. Nick scoffed and turned his attention back toward the road.   
If he was tired, Ellis knew how to hide it well. Nick's shoulders were slumped slightly and his steps were slower and more dragged. They'd been walking for what felt like hours. Ellis bounded on and, when he realized Nick was trailing behind, turned around and waited for him. 

"Maybe we should find a place for the night, dontcha think?" 

"Yeah, but where? We're kind of in the middle of nowhere, overalls." 

"Well, I see a buildin' up there we could check out. Yah look beat." 

Nick sneered at the boy, but it was laced with exhaustion. He was dead tired and was happy the kid suggested stopping. Dress shoes weren't exactly easy to walk for miles in. His feet and calves were on fire.   
The time it took to get to the building couldn't have been longer. The building in question turned out to be a gas station, go figure. It was boarded up, and seemed relatively untouched by infected.   
It looked promising. Nick used the last of his strength to lift his axe to break the wood that blocked the door. When he got it open, he walked in before collapsing on the floor. Ellis ran after him, concerned, before realizing that the conman did it on purpose. 

"Jeez, Nick. Warn me next time 'fore you go throwin' yerself down like that." 

Nick looked up at him, trying to be his usual asshole self, but finding himself too tired to. 

"Will do, kiddo. Do me a favor and make sure there isn't anything in here that could try to kill us. I'm gonna sit here and regret ever buying dress shoes." 

Ellis gave a small laugh before making his way around the store. He checked all of the back rooms: office, bathrooms, and storage closets. Nothing. When he walked back to the main room, he saw the door blocked off with some carts and boxes. He didn't see Nick, though. He looked around the cash register and saw the conman sat up, head lolling to the side. He had fallen asleep. Ellis thought that was slightly odd for Nick to just fall asleep like that, but he shrugged and started his watch.  
Nick woke up to a small tapping on his face. His expression went from peaceful(as peaceful as it could, anyway) to irritation. He pried his eyes open to see Ellis' face just centimeters from his own. Startled, he jumped a bit. Ellis laughed and scooted back. 

"Sorry, I didn't mean ta scare yah. Yah fell asleep super quick like last night."

Did he say 'last night'? Nick looked out the boarded up window and, sure enough, rays of sunlight were peaking through. He looked back at Ellis, confused. 

"Did you sleep?" 

"Yeah. It was real quiet and we were all fortified, so I figured 'why not'." 

The look on his face said it all; he did not mean to fall asleep, but he did. Nick didn't want to start a fight this early, so he just shrugged before standing up, his body groaning and cracking it protest. After a particularly loud pop, Ellis looked up at him. 

"Was that yer back?" 

"Sure was. Getting old is hell, Kid."

Ellis shuffled as he got to his feet and began to move about the store searching for breakfast.

"Yew ain't old, Nick... Anyway, there is a buncha snacks left around here we could eat and pack some in our backpack for later." 

Nick saw something flicker in Ellis' eyes when he mentioned getting old, but he chose to ignore it and look for food. The food was all processed, unhealthy garbage, but they both ate greedily. Sure, they still had a couple of cans left from the last house they were at, but they figured they'd save them for later.   
After eating, they decided they best be on their way. They reluctantly left the safety of the gas station, taking a couple of cans of gas with them in case they find another car.   
With his axe propped up on his shoulder, Nick took the lead. His feet still hurt, though not as bad as the night before. As the two walked on, they found themselves actually having a pleasant conversation. Nick was surprised that the kid wasn't getting on his nerves like usual, and Ellis was surprised Nick wasn't being an ass. Sure, he knew most of what Nick said was a front, but it still got on his nerves and sometimes hurt. 

"So, Nick. You never told me why yew were in Savannah when everything went ta shit." Nick knew the kid was just curious, and at this point, he figured there was no sense in lying anymore.

"I was trying to win back some money. Had a lot of debts to pay back and past to get away from." Ellis' face turned to a look of confusion and concern. 

"Past to git away from?" 

Nick sighed. "My ex wife. Married young when I had money. Then I lost it, she left, and I had some run ins with her new man, another gambler. Had to get out of dodge before something happened." He absent mindedly touched his ring finger, where his ring once sat. He didn't look at the hick, afraid of what he might see, though he didn't know why. He heard Ellis clear his throat.

"Sorry ta hear that, Nick. But if she only wanted yer money, at least you didn't have ta live with someone that didn't love ya, ya know?" Damn that kid was naïve. Nick glanced at him before looking back at the ground. 

"Yeah, you're right. It was for the best; I'm not exactly the romantic type anyway." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ellis blush slightly and look down to shield his face with his hat. It was then that they heard the laughter. 

"Shit. Jockey's around. Stay sharp, Ace." The only weapons the two had were some pistols, Nick's axe, and Ellis' machete. Not vary useful against a horde. They could deal with one jockey, though, easily. Or so they thought. As they walked trying to evade the small infected, they were more focused on forward than backward. Nick heard the scream of Ellis and whirled around to find the jockey on his head, pulling him backwards, nearly toppling him. 

"Nick, git him off me!" His motions were quick, adrenaline taking over as he dug his axe into the little body on the boy's head.


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Why did that corpse upset him so much? They'd been killing infected people for weeks! So why did seeing a non-infected person dead make him want to throw up?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the promised chapter five! There isn't much else to say, so enjoy! Also, again, I'm sorry about the change of format so much!! I'm trying to figure out which way I like best to write this story. I think the one in this chapter is the one I'll be going with.
> 
>  
> 
> WARNING: MENTION OF SUICIDE IN THIS CHAPTER  
> No, not any major character or major part even, just a mentioning of it that you should be warned about.

As Nick slammed his axe into the jockey, he couldn't help but let out a grunt of frustration. The hobbled body slumped off of Ellis' shoulders with no effort. The younger looked up at him from under the bill of his hat. "Thanks, Nick. 'Ppreciate it." Nick just huffed lightly and turned to walk again. "Just don't lose focus, El."

They fell into a comfortable silence that lasted a mere few minutes. "Nick?" Nick sighed. "What?" "When did yew start callin' me 'El'?" Nick, without missing a beat, responded with a sarcastic, "Like 'Cletus' better?" Ellis' faced turned a light pink. "N-no, jus' curious is all. It's alright, though. Don't mind it none." With that, the comfortable silence returned.

The walk, apart from making him sore as hell, gave Nick some time to really reflect on everything that has happened in the past couple of days. Their group of four is now split in half(he still hoped the other half was okay and trying to get to them), he lowered his guard for the first time in years(to a hick, no less) and now he's making the kid blush. What's up with that? 

Nick shook his head lightly. He did not want to think about that anymore. Instead, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the,miraculously, not crushed cigarettes. He put one to his lips and lit it, taking a long drag. He noticed Ellis shift out of the corner of his eye. The boy's stare lingered on him for a moment before turning back toward the road. "Should be comin' up on a town soon, saw a road sign a ways back. Hopefully they'll have a place with power we can stay at." Nick hated to admit it, but the kid wasn't as stupid as he'd originally thought. "I'm just praying they have water. I could reeeeeeeaaaally go for a shower. I'd kill for one." Ellis chuckled and adjusted his hat a bit. "Well, ya prolly will. Mos' likely be at least some infected there." 

Ellis was, again, right. There were infected, but not too many. They managed to find a house with a porch light on without drawing too much unwanted attention. When they reached the door, they found it locked, which led to the hope that maybe it was left untouched by infected. Thinking quick, Nick reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket, pulling out his wallet. He reached in and pulled out his ID, jimmying it with the lock to pick it. After a few tries(and a swear or two) the door successfully popped open. 

While Nick was occupied, Ellis took the time to look at the ID the gambler was using. 'Nicolas T. Ghazi. Age: 35. D.O.B.: 4/16/1974[Im making it 2009, just like the game!]' He didn't get to read anymore as Nick pulled the card away and shoved it back in the wallet. "I've still got it. Nice. Alright, Ace, let's see what this puppy looks like."

Nick pushed the door open timidly and looked around. The place was clean. He let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and stepped inside. Ellis followed, shutting the door behind himself. They explored the ground floor, looking for any infected. Clear. They went upstairs, Ellis checking the rooms on the left, Nick the right. When he opened the last door, Nick nearly lost his lunch.

It was a bedroom. In the middle of the room, hung a corpse. The corpse didn't appear to be infected; just someone who couldn't survive through the apocalypse. He quickly shut the door, feeling the bile rise in his throat. Ellis had come out of the room across the hall and was looking expectantly at him. "Whut's a wrong, Nick?" He had to take a minute to compose himself before answering. "Suicide." That was all he could get out of his mouth as he started off down the hall. Ellis had found the bathroom and deemed it operable. Nick walked in and turned the sink faucet on, splashing water on his face. Why did that corpse upset him so much? They'd been killing infected people for weeks! So why did seeing a non-infected person dead make him want to throw up? Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ellis' form enter the doorway. 

"Y'alright?" Receiving no response, Ellis leaned against the door frame and waited. Something clearly set Nick off about the hanging(yes, he looked in the room) but he didn't know what. Slowly, Nick wiped his face off with a towel and turned to Ellis. "I'm gonna take a shower. A long, hot shower. All this grime has me feeling like I'm one of them. I'll be out in a bit." Leaving no room for response, He shut the door in Ellis' face. Confused, and slightly worried, he headed downstairs to see if anything in the fridge had kept so he could make an actual dinner.

Nothing in the fridge was good(it'd been weeks, and even with the power on the food would've expired) but there were a ton of cans in the cupboards. He pulled out two cans of chicken noodle soup and found a pot. He decided that he'd surprise Nick with a hot dinner. Hopefully his shower would leave him in a better mood. 

As the soup heated, Ellis leaned against the counter, thinking. He hoped Coach and Ro were okay, and that they got their message. He also thought about Nick's panic attack. Something in the way Nick reacted made Ellis suspect that he was no stranger to them. He didn't even want to think about the hanging man upstairs. There was something in Nick's face-in his eyes- when he mentioned suicide. Like it had brought up some bad memories. Ellis made a mental note to try to ask Nick about it later. 

He was brought out of his daze by a throat clearing. He swirled his head toward the doorway, where Nick stood. His hair was wet from the shower, and he had on a t-shirt and sweatpants, clearly from the owner of the house. It was odd to see him in anything other than that dirty suit. He felt that the suit had suited the man well(pun intended), but something about the way he filled out a t-shirt made him blush. 'Wait a minute. Whut tha hell am I thinkin'?' He snapped out of it only to realize Nick had said something. "Sorry, whut?" Nick sighed. "I said, I snagged some clean clothes for you and left 'em in the bathroom for you... I had to go into the bedroom to get them... Anyway, is that chicken noodle soup?"

Ellis was slightly confused. Was Nick trying to protect him from seeing the man in the bedroom?(Nick didn't know Ellis looked in already.) He shifted his gaze from the man to the soup in question. "Sure is! Couldn't find any food that kept other than these. So, I made do. Tastes perty good, I think." He took out two bowls and spoons from the cupboard and drawer and served himself and Nick. Nick looked at him with a small smirk. "Thanks, Ace. After we eat the water should be hot enough for you to get a shower." "Alrighty. Let's eat! Man I'm so hungry I could eat a zombie!" The look on Nick's face was one of utter disgust. Ellis guffawed. "Aw, man, I'm just messin'. I'd never eat one a them things. That's just nasty." The two men settled into the chairs by the table and hungrily ate their soup.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When did he punch something? What did he punch? He couldn't even remember.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, MENTIONS SUICIDE.
> 
> Also I was going to make this longer, but this felt like the right place to stop. The feels are developing so I need to continue writing this for my own sanity so expect another part really soon!(like next few days soon!!)

The shower made Ellis feel a thousand times better than he'd felt since the outbreak. Sure, his legs and feet were sore and his shoulder had a nasty bruise from the recoil of his shotgun, but still. He let the hot water cascade down his back and allowed his mind to wander. He thought about everything that has happened, and all the possibilities of things that will happen. 

One thing that kept grabbing his mind was Nick. Everything about that man spelled mysterious. The hair. The suit. The gun holster. The eyes. Especially the emotion that was hidden behind those eyes. Nick thought nobody could see his real emotions through his poker face, but Ellis could. Not always, but there were definitely moments where Ellis could read Nick like a book. Although, he'd never tell Nick that. 

He turned off the shower and stepped out, finding the clothes Nick had left for him. They were similar to the con mans; clearly the owner of them had a taste for comfort. He pulled on the clothes, gave himself a once over in the mirror, then made his way to find Nick. 

Nick layer sprawled out lazily over the couch, staring at the ceiling. He turned his head when Ellis entered the room, but offered no words. Ellis walked past him and sat in a recliner opposite of the couch. "Nick."  
"What?"  
Ellis thought a moment, trying to piece together how he would word his question.  
"Why...why does that man in the bedroom bother you so much? Now, I don't mean ta pry or nuthin', but clearly it upsets yew." Nick's eyes opened wide in surprise at the question, but he slowly moved to sit up. He avoided eye contact and offered up a curt reply, "Not the first time I've walked in to a scene like that." 

Ellis wanted to dig deeper, but he knew not to push it. So, he offered a small "I'm awful sorry, Nick." Nick smirked. "Nothing to be sorry for, kid. It was a long time ago.' He glanced at the clock on the wall, "Anyway, I'm not too tired, so I'll take first watch. You should get to bed. It's getting late." Ellis didn't want to leave Nick alone, but he figured it was what the man needed. "Okay. G'night. Wake me when it's mah turn, 'kay?" All he got as a response was a small, huffed "night." 

When he was sure Ellis was in the other bedroom, Nick stood and began pacing the floor. Ever since he opened that door, memories had crowded his head from that day. That awful, horrendous day. The day he lost his mother. He was young, but he was old enough to comprehend what had happened: what she had done. He screamed for help until his voice was raw. He cried until his head swam. He was ripped in half. She was his whole world; she was the only thing keeping him from his dad. She was the only thing keeping him from becoming his dad. He did not want to become like his dad. Yet, that is exactly who he'd become. 

Ellis was nearly asleep when he heard a crash from downstairs. Worried(and startled) he hurried out of bed and dashed for the stairs. He was worried he'd see Nick being pummeled by a charger or ripped apart by a hunter. But he didn't. Instead, he saw the lamp from the table next to the couch shattered by the wall. In the middle of the room stood Nick. It was clear he had punched something(the wall most likely) for his knuckles were slightly bloody. His shoulders were moving rapidly from his sudden rage and he appeared to be hyperventilating.

Ellis calmly(and quickly) walked toward him. "Nick, calm down. Yew can work through this, 'kay? I know yew can." Nick didn't appear to register that the boy was talking to him. He looked down at his hand. When did he punch something? What did he punch? He couldn't even remember. The anger and hatred he'd felt at himself and his parents had suddenly left him. He looked up, gray meeting blue. Ellis walked closer and grabbed Nick's arm, walking him toward the kitchen. 

Ellis turned on the faucet and moved Nick's hand to run under it. Nick recoiled slightly at the stinging of the water on his knuckles. Ellis' grip on his forearm only tightened as he held the hand in place. Once all the blood had rinsed off, he grabbed a paper towel off of the roll next to the sink and pressed it to Nick's hand. The silence unnerved Nick. Ellis was never this quiet. Not even around a witch. Was he angry?

Lost in thought, Nick hadn't even noticed that Ellis had left the room until he came back in with their med pack in his hands. Still silent, he opened the pack, taking out some antibiotic cream and some bandaids. He worked lightly, as to not hurt Nick, as he put on the cream and bandages. Once he was done, he zipped the pack back up and grabbed Nick again, this time, leading him upstairs and to the room where they were sleeping. 

He pushed Nick onto the bed and stood in front of him, arms crossed like an angry mother. "Care to explain that tah me, Nick? Yew can't say nuthin' or just shrug like normal. Now, whut tha hell is goin' on with yew?" Nick let out a shaky sigh. He knew the kid wouldn't let him get off that easy. He met Ellis' gaze again. "My mother hung herself when I was 15." He offered nothing else, eyes falling to the floor. Ellis' glare softened as he grabbed Nick's shoulder. "Nick, yew actin' like yew ain't got no feelin's ain't good for ya. Yew need tah let 'em out every now an' again, otherwise you'll burst, kinda like yew just did." 

Since when did Ellis have words of wisdom? As he drew in another breath, Nick felt a sudden urge of...want. He pushed the feeling back down, deciding now was not the time for it before responding. "I...needed that. Thanks, Ace." Ellis smiled and pulled Nick rather forcefully into a hug. Nick was surprised at how clean the boy smelled. His hair was still slightly damp from the shower, too. He didn't want to let go. 'Wait. What? Nick, snap out of it! Now is not the time or the place to get attached to anyone or anything.' But Nick knew damn well that getting attached was exactly what he was doing, and he made no real effort to stop it. 

Ellis pulled away after a minute(or two...maybe three) before smiling at the older man. "Now. You lay down and go to sleep. Yew need it more'n me. I'm not leavin' this room 'til yew are out like a damn light, ya hear? I'll sit right here on this side and yew can have that side there." Nick wanted to argue, but he was exhausted from his outburst and knew the kid wouldn't be swayed. So, he crawled to the other side of the bed and settled under the covers. He felt the bed dip when Ellis sat down. Almost instantly, he was asleep. Ellis didn't leave the room that night.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 'Lower energy means slower. Slower means an easier target. An easier target means death.'

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I was going to make this longer, but I felt this was an appropriate place to stop. The next chapter will be extra-extra long for you all, so stay tuned! 
> 
> Also, The rating may change next chapter ;)

The next day it was like nothing had happened. Nick was back to his typical self, much to Ellis' dismay. He actually liked when Nick was vulnerable, because it was like he was himself; like all the anger and tension was just a front to keep people from seeing who he really was. 

They ate the last of their food and decided they needed to go on a supply run. Oh goody. That's exactly what Nick wanted to do. Go face more infected with only two melee weapons and a pistol between the pair. Reluctantly, they left the safety of the house they were in and began down the street. They checked all the houses in the area. Nothing. Of course, most of the places had been looted already(it was a miracle their new "safe house" wasn't totally destroyed). Rounding the corner, they saw a potential gold mine.

"Bingo."  
"Whut?"  
"Look. A store, fireball. Maybe there is some decent shit left in the back or something." 

So, that's where they headed. Ellis began to dig through the rubble at the front of the store while Nick went into the back. It looked like a tornado blew through, but maybe the other looters missed something. They had to have. 

Nick was bent over digging in one of the up dumped cabinets when he heard it. The coughing. He didn't even have time to fully turn around before he felt the smoker's warm, wet tongue tighten around his neck. He tried to holler, but all that he managed was a choked "Nngh!" He tried to loosen the tongue's grip on his neck as it pulled him backwards, but it was taking all of his focus to try to breathe. He was getting no air. His vision was beginning to fade to black. Then, he heard footsteps followed by a gunshot. The tongue loosened and he fell to the ground, choking and gasping for air. He felt two hands grip the sides of his face and shake it lightly. "C'mon, Nick, stay with me. Yer okay. It's dead. Breathe, man. Deep breaths." Without the energy to argue, he did as he was told.

The smoker seemed to shake Ellis up just as much as Nick, although it hurt Nick much more. Nick's neck was already forming a bruise from the tongue's death grip, and his throat burned, causing his voice to be raspy and strained. Ellis had helped him to his feet before immediately pulling him into a hug. "Oh ho, man I am so sorry! I heard the cough but at first I thought it was just yew! I shoulda known better. Then, I heard bangin'-I'm assumin' from yew bein' pulled over stuff- an I knew somethin' was wrong. I'm just glad I got here in time!" Nick's deoxygenated brain couldn't fully comprehend what the boy was saying, so he just stood still, allowing himself to be hugged. Usually, he hated affection. But this, he didn't mind so much, weirdly. He couldn't quite figure out why. He decided on just blaming it on almost dying. 

They returned to the house later that night with a couple bottles of pills and a baseball bat. Great. No food. It wouldn't be the first time they'd gone without food, but that would lower their energy. 'Lower energy means slower. Slower means an easier target. An easier target means death.' Nick pushed the thought away as Ellis entered the kitchen. He jumped up onto the counter and hung his head slightly. "Man, I wish we'd a found some food. I'm starved. Maybe we'll get lucky an Coach an Ro will meet us here with a whole bunch a cans." Nick waited a minute before speaking, his voice lower than normal. "You think they're gonna catch up to us?" 

Ellis lifted his head, disbelief etched on his features. "Well, yeah! Why, yew don't?"   
"I don't know, El. I really don't know."   
"Well, I've been leavin' 'em notes on where we're goin'. I even left on on the road before town." It was Nick's turn to look shocked. "Really?" "Well, yeah! Why wouldn't I? I've got a marker in mah back pocket from one a tha other safe houses. Real useful." Nick must've been too focused, or tired, to notice Ellis leaving notes. He noticed the boy had a pink tint on his ears as he explained himself, much like a girl confessing a crush to a friend. 'Wait, why the hell is that your first comparison? What the hell is going on with you? Stop staring at the kid and say something already, you clusterfuck!' Nick smirked. "Actually, that's pretty smart, Ace. Didn't know you had it in you." "Hey!" Nick just laughed as he made his way up the stairs. 

Ellis was on first watch tonight, so Nick didn't hesitate climbing into bed. He was almost asleep when he felt the urge to pee. "God damnit. What the hell, bladder. Fucking assclown." He got up and made his way to the bathroom. When he finished his business, he turned to head back to the bedroom. When he passed the stairs, he heard something. It was quiet, almost a whisper. He had to strain his ears to make out what it was. Ellis. What was he doing? Nick decided to quietly walk down the stairs to get closer. He peeked around the corner and saw Ellis sitting on the couch, with his head bent down. Confused, he listened. He was... talking? No. He was praying.

"Now, I know I ain't been the best catholic, 'specially lately with mah feelins an all,('feelings? What feelings?') but I need ya ta do me a favor. Please, please, please let Coach an Ro be okay. An let 'em meet up with us soon. Also, let Nick be okay, too. Somethin's been botherin' him lately, an I dunno whut. See, he gets this look, like he wants to say or do somethin' but then he gets an angry look instead. Anyway, guess I better just get back ta bein' on watch. Nick'll get mad if he finds out I wasn't watchin' out. Talk to ya later, big guy. Amen." When Ellis' head lifted up, Nick quietly dashed up the stairs.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Nice ass."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, the rating has changed and this is a longer part ;) 
> 
> also, I love that in the game, whenever friendly fire occurs to Nick, he will occasionally threaten violence on Ellis and Coach. But he doesn't threaten Rochelle. It is a small detail that adds to the complexity of Nick's character and I love it.
> 
> Also, I know I said Nick's eyes were gray before, but I'm gonna call them green next time because I love Nick with pale green eyes.

When he was safely back in the bedroom, Nick let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. What feelings were Ellis talking about? Surely he couldn't be having the feelings Nick thought he was, right? _'For God's sake he's a hick from the south! There's no way he's like that...'_ That thought upset Nick a bit. Did he have feelings for Ellis? No way, he could not possibly have a crush on that stupid, annoying, happy-go-lucky, naïve, cute-

_'NICK. STOP.'_

Nick was never one to flaunt his sexuality, or even tell anyone. He was married to a woman, so most people never questioned it. But he always had a, reluctant, attraction to men, too. He was reluctant to admit to himself that he had an attraction to guys because of his drunk of a dad. That man surely would've beaten the shit out of him had he ever found out. But, his dad wasn't here, now was he?

He decided to just shove his thoughts into the "time out" corner in his mind as he crawled into the bed, his body yearning for sleep. Only, that sleep didn't come. He was staring at the ceiling for god knows how long when the door handle turned and the door cracked open, making Nick jolt in the bed. "O-oh. Sorry to wake ya, Nick. I was jus' figurin' I'd come up here fer the night. It's real quiet an everythin's boarded up tight. So I thought we could both hopefully get a full night sleep." Without waiting for a reply, the younger man walked over and crawled into the bed on the opposite side. They'd shared a bed before, so there was no reason for anything to be awkward... right? Nick knew it shouldn't have bothered him to be in such a close proximity to the hick, but he found himself quite flustered at the closeness. He was glad it was dark in the room so Ellis couldn't see his face turn a blushing pink. He turned away from him and tried to sleep(and also forget about how Ellis' foot was just barely touching his own).

\--

"Coach, do you think they're okay?"

"Baby girl, I'm sure they're fine. They're both strong, I'm sure they've figured out a plan. I just hope they ain't fightin' like cats n' dogs!"

"I hope what this says is true. Let's get moving."  
\--

He couldn't sleep. No matter how many sheep he counted or how many times he tossed and turned, Ellis could not sleep. He looked at Nick. He could see his shoulders rise and fall rhythmically with his breaths. Whenever the man was asleep was when he seemed the most at peace. Like his inner demons took a break. His face relaxed and he occasionally even smiled. Not a fake smile, but a genuine, happy-to-see-you smile. Ellis liked it. He liked the way Nick looked. He liked the way Nick dressed. He liked the way Nick acted(well, sometimes). He liked Nick. Not that he'd ever say anything, though. Nick was married to a woman, after all. The only people that knew about Ellis' sexuality were Keith and Rochelle. He told Keith in middle school, afraid he might not like him anymore. Keith was fine with it, though, and never changed the way he acted around him. Rochelle cornered him one night in a safe room while he was on watch. It wasn't really a malicious cornering, just a curious one because she had seen the way he was looking at Nick(which she said she'd never mention). She was also pretty okay with it(in her words, "sweetie, I think it's cute you have a crush! But you better be careful, don't let him hurt you.")

When he turned over again(rather violently) he accidentally swung his arm into Nick's shoulder. He froze, worried he'd woke the other man. The only answer he got was a small grunt and Nick grasping his arm, pulling him closer. He didn't want to risk waking Nick up, so he didn't pull away as Nick continued to pull him into a cuddle. It was weird to see the conman showing any type of affection, even if it was in his sleep. The man was just so... unaffectionate. _'Okay. He's jus' sleepin'. Maybe he's dreamin' a his ex wife or somethin'. Ain't nothin' wrong with a little cuddlin'. Jus' go ta sleep.'_ Nick was not dreaming of his ex wife. He was dreaming of a certain mechanic that has plump lips and blue eyes.

"Niiiiiick. Niiiiiiick. Wake uuuuuup. C'mon, it's gettin' late. We got runnin' ta do. We need ta find more food." Nick felt himself being dragged out of slumber, and he gave a grunt of protest. He slowly opened his eyes, immediately squeezing them shut. The sun shining through the window hurt his eyes and head. The fact that they hadn't eaten in a day ( _'or was it two?'_ ) was making itself present as Nick's stomach gave a growl and he felt light headed. He sat up and rubbed at his temples. "Give me five minutes, El." Opening his eyes, Nick came face to face with Ellis. He had shaved, something that made him look even younger than he was. He looked... handsome. _'I'm going to hurt you if you don't stop thinking like that, Jesus Christ. Now is really not the time.'_

They ventured out further than before, nearly hitting the opposite edge of town. They also managed to find some canned food in some of the houses. Nick couldn't even contain his excitement over the discovery, kissing the cans and holding them close while whispering "holy shit I knew we had to get a break holyshitholyshitholyshityes." Ellis laughed as he continued to look around the kitchen. "Well, damn, it's almost like you found Atlantis." They shoved the cans into their backpack that Ellis had over his shoulder and continued searching.

It was almost dark when they reached the street the safe house was on. Rounding the corner, they heard it. Before they could even comprehend where the roar was coming from, something barreled passed Nick, knocking him out of the way, grabbing Ellis. Nick quickly got back to his feet and ran toward the charger, axe swinging.

Ellis felt his body being picked up, he let out a scream as he was thrust back down into the concrete below. Thankfully, the backpack was thrown off of him before he was pummeled, otherwise the cans could've done some serious damage. How he managed to keep from cracking his skull he didn't know. The charger's muscular hand gripped him like a vice, squeezing his insides. That was going to bruise like a bitch. The charger only got in a couple hits before Nick took it down, but the damage was done. Nick pulled Ellis to his feet and began to help him to the safe room. "C'mon, El, it's only a few feet away. You can make it. You breathing okay?" Ellis let out a small wheeze. "B-bag..." When Ellis' steps faltered, Nick didn't hesitate as he picked him up bridal style. Ellis tried to protest, but found himself too tired to and he just leaned his head into Nick's chest. "I'll get the bag, Ace. You just focus on breathing, 'kay?" Ellis nodded slowly. Nick took him into the safe room and set him down on the couch before running back into the street for the bag. When he came back inside, Ellis' head was lulled to the side and quiet snores were coming from his mouth. It was in this moment that Nick decided two things: he would carry Ellis to the bedroom so he could shower but also hear if Ellis woke up and needed something, and he needed to shower to relieve some of his stress.

Carrying Ellis wasn't that difficult, surprisingly. He was a pretty muscular young man. Although, Nick was pretty built himself, especially since the infection broke out(you know, running for your life and swinging an axe all day really do wonders for your body.) he laid the boy in bed and went across the hall into the bathroom. He left the bedroom door opened, but shut the bathroom door. He figured, if Ellis woke up and came looking for him, he'd hear the water.

He turned on the shower and stepped in, feeling the hot water flow down his back. He leaned his head back, allowing the water to stream down his face. Closing his eyes, Nick moved a hand down his body toward his groin. He grabbed his shaft in his right hand and began to stroke himself as he let his mind wander. His mind, however, quickly wandered to Ellis. Unable to stop himself, he continued to stroke his member and thinking of the hick.

Having been a while since he had any sexual acts of any kind(when could you when you were fighting for your life all day and in one room with three others at night?) it didn't take long for him to feel his body beginning to tremble. He leaned his left arm against the wall of the shower and he continued to pump his erection. He tried to stay silent, but a low, quiet growl escaped from the back of his throats when he hit his release. The pleasure came in waves, and he relished every one. He put his hand under the water, cleaning it off before he reached for the soap.

Now that he blew off most of his steam, he needed to actually shower. Running around in a suit all day looking for food does not leave you smelling like a daisy.

A few minutes later he stepped out of the shower. "Aw, shit." He forgot a towel. And also clean clothes. He prayed that Ellis was still asleep as he slowly opened the bathroom door and creeped for the linen closet. He snagged a towel and quickly wrapped it around his waist. He really didn't want to go into the master bedroom for clothes, so he went into the other bedroom in search of some instead.

Ellis lay on the bed, somewhere between sleep and consciousness. He heard movement and Nick appeared in the doorway with only a towel on. His mostly closed eyes followed him as he made his way around the room to the dresser. He timidly opened the drawers, assumingely to not wake Ellis. Ellis watched mindlessly as Nick pulled out some compression boxers, plaid pajama pants, and a t-shirt. He surely thought Ellis was still asleep because if he knew that he was awake, Nick probably would've shit himself. He let the towel fall as he pulled on the boxers. He wasn't quick enough, as Ellis caught a glimpse of Nick's pale ass. _'All a Nick is pale, so it makes sense that his ass is too. He's got a nice ass.'_ Without thinking of what he was doing, Ellis blurted out sleepily, "nice ass."

_'Oh. God.'_

Nick couldn't even process what was happening. Ellis apparently processed it, though, as his eyes widened as he practically jumped up. "Oh, God, s-sorry man! I didn't mean ta say that!" Nick's face was beet red. He looked like he wanted to hide under a rock, which he probably did. He put his hands over his face for a minute before running them down it, then letting them fall limply at his sides. "No, I'm sorry. I thought you were still asleep...' he smirked lightly, '... think I have a nice ass?" Now it was Ellis' turn to go red. He sputtered a "uh" before Nick laughed. Then, he got serious as he took a step closer to Ellis. Both his eyes and voice lowered. "It's alright, Fireball. I think you've got a pretty nice ass, too." Not waiting for a response, Nick turned and walked out of the room.

All Ellis could do was sit on the edge of the bed with a hand covering his mouth. _'Whut tha hell jus' happened?'_ Nick went downstairs and sat on the couch. Head in his hands, he let a sigh escape him. _'What did you just do, Nicolas?'_


	9. Chapter Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Yew are one dumb sunuvabitch if yew think I'm a believe that one. Good try, though."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Save Me Some Sugar" From the Midnight Riders(L4D2) is used in here. Credit to Valve for that! 
> 
> Fun fact, the band that performed all the Midnight Riders' songs is called Clutch. 
> 
> That's it, just thought I should give a credit for the song.

When Nick opened his eyes, it was pitch black. _'Must still be night.'_ He stood and tried to feel his way around, only to end up tripping over the coffee table and falling. "Ow, fuck!" Getting his footing back, he heard a scream from upstairs. "Nick, help me!" Ellis.

Nick ran up the steps as fast as his legs could carry him. When he reached the bedroom door, he found it locked. Ellis still screamed from the other side. He braced his shoulder and shoved into the door. He began screaming the boy's name, desperately trying to get to him. After the fourth try the door gave way and he tumbled in.

On the bed lay Ellis, a hunter on top of him. He was still as the hunter continued to rip into his chest, ripping out hunks of flesh and organs. He shoved the hunter off of him. It fell dead onto the floor. Looking back at Ellis, Nick felt his stomach lurch and he gagged. He gagged and wretched until his stomach was empty. He was alone. Ellis was gone. His glassy, lifeless blue eyes stared into Nick's green ones. Tears began to fall as he slowly raised a hand to close them. When he was almost there, a hand shot out and grabbed his own.

"Gaaaaaaaah!"

Nick's eyes opened only to meet Ellis'. The hick had his hands on the man's shoulders to shake him awake. His eyes were filled with worry and fear as they continued to stare at Nick. After a few seconds, he pulled the older man into a hug. "Yer okay now, Nick. It was only a nightmare. Ellis' gotcha. I ain't goin' no where." Everything was a blur. He was so confused. "E-El, what-?" The hand on his back stopped moving as Ellis pulled away to look at Nick. "Yew were screamin'. An I mean _screamin_ ', man. I heard ya from upstairs and thought maybe somethin' got in. When I ran down here, yew were flailin' all around screamin' my name and cryin'."

_'It was just a dream.'_

Nick felt his face get hot with embarrassment. His voice shook as he spoke. "Oh uh... sorry. You can go back to sleep now. I'm okay." Ellis sent him a _'are you serious?'_ look. Nick was not getting off that easily. "Yew are one dumb sunuvabitch if yew think I'm a believe that one. Good try, though." He extended his hand for Nick as he stood from the couch, "Now, c'mon. I ain't lettin' yew sleep down here by yerself so yew can have nightmares-more like night terrors- all damn night." Letting his fear overtake his embarassement, Nick grabbed the hand.

Their hands stayed interlocked until they reached the bed. Ellis opened the bedroom door and climbed onto the left side of the bed, leaving Nick the right side. Their hands separated as Nick crossed the room and settled on the bed. He was still in a cold sweat and shaking, but he was significantly calmer. He laid his head back and stared at the ceiling. He stayed like that for several minutes, feeling Ellis shift beside him multiple times. Just as his eyes were beginning to droop closed, he felt a hand snake around his waist. He jumped, but the hand didn't move. Ellis' tired voice piped up from the other side of the bed. "Nothin' wrong with cuddlin' after yew had a bad dream, Nick. Jus' relax an go ta sleep. Yew'll feel better in the mornin'." Part of him wanted to pull away, but most of him didn't. So, he didn't. Instead, he felt himself turning more and allowing Ellis to get closer(which he did.) he listened to the slowing, calming breaths of his bed partner as he drifted off into a more comfortable sleep.

Ellis felt the bed shift, bringing him out of a dead slumber. He thought Nick was getting up until he felt arms tighten around him and felt Nick's nose nuzzle into his hair. This was a different side of Nick that he'd never seen before. A comforting side. A side that needed comfort. Clearly the infection was taking more of a toll on Nick then he'd let on. It was taking a toll on all of them, of course, but none of the others were really hiding it. Also, if Ellis ever voiced his anxieties, Rochelle or Coach(and even Nick) were there to help him through it, and same with the others. But not Nick. He never said anything about his thoughts or feelings(well, nothing personal like that, anyway.) They all shared their life stories, except Nick. He was curt on his explanations and didn't delve too far into detail. So, what happened to him? Clearly something, or someone, had made him afraid to trust others. _'But who? Ex wife, parents, other conmen?'_ Ellis sighed softly and listened to Nick's breathing.

Nick woke up to an empty bed. _'Heh. Not the first time.'_ He decided to get up and moving before he fell back asleep. Stepping out of the bedroom, he began to walk toward the bathroom, but stopped short of the door. It was closed and he heard the shower running. _'Ahh, damnit, Ellis. I gotta piss.'_ He thought about going to go outside to do his business, but something stopped him. Over the running shower, he heard singing. Ellis' singing. And he'd be damned if he said it out loud, but the kid was good.

_"Save me some sugar,_  
_this won't take long._  
_I won't promise to stay the night,_  
_I won't sing you no song._  
_Save me some sugar,_  
_That's all I'll ask of you._  
_You're my old lady,_  
_But the roads my lady, too."_

As he neared the end of the chorus, Ellis shut the water off, feeling refreshed. One thing he always loved to do was sing. Not that he'd ever wanted a career out of it or anything. He just liked to sing along to a song or two with his buddies, playing some bass. _'Man, I miss mah bass.'_ He used a towel to quickly dry off before he reached for some clothes they'd found in the bedroom. He'd try to wash their clothes in the tub later, but food was his next priority. Giving himself a once over in the mirror, he decided he should probably brush his teeth. Opening the cupboard under the sink he mumbled a "Must be somethin' round here" to himself before pulling out a package of three unused toothbrushes. _'Oh, Nick's gonna love this!'_

After brushing his teeth, he opened the bathroom door to find Nick leaning against the opposing wall. He gasped loudly. "Damn, Nick. Ya scared tha shit outta me!" Nick just chuckled and uttered a low "sorry sport" before entering the bathroom himself and shutting the door. Now left alone, Ellis wandered downstairs in search of their backpack.

As he looked for the bag, thoughts of the night before trickled back to him. He'd noticed the bruise marks the charger left on him, dark purple almost all the way around his abdomen. They hurt, but it was a dull ache. He also thought about Nick. His nightmare probably scared Ellis more than him(not likely, but it sure felt that way to him. He was terrified.) He found the bag thrown haphazardly next to the couch. He reached in and grabbed two cans of soup and went into the kitchen. He played with the wrapper of one of the cans as he looked for a clean pot.

His mother used to make him homemade chicken noodle soup whenever he was sick. Even up to just a few weeks before the infection hit. He'd caught a nasty cold when he had to help Keith get his truck unstuck from a mud pit in the rain. It had felt like forever before they finally got it out. He went home soaking wet and woke up the next morning with a fever and a sore throat. His first call was to Dave to report off and his second was to his mom requesting some soup.

He smiled to himself as he recalled that memory. He missed his mother dearly, but he was happy that she didn't have to go through this. "Least yer with tha lord, mama. He's treatin' yew right, I bet." Finding a good pot, he poured the two cans in and turned the burner on. Thankfully it was an electric stove, that way they didn't have to worry about gas.

As he watched the soup heat up, his mind drifted to Nick yet again. This time, it was a more current thought. Was he showering? He felt his face heat up as he thought about the older man in the shower, rubbing soap over himself and the hot water gliding down his body. His mind drifted from Nick's head to his torso to his groin. He couldn't help it. He felt his pants begin to tighten. Not wanting Nick to come downstairs and see his tent, he quickly shifted his thoughts to other things. Like Rochelle and Coach. Were they okay? Were they following his trail? Would they ever meet up again, or is that a lost cause?

Feeling his pants begin to loosen, he sighed. He really hoped they would become whole again. He also secretly hoped Nick thought about him the way he thought about Nick. Turning his attention back to the soup, he poured it into two bowls, putting a spoon into each before grabbing his own and sitting down at the table to eat while waiting for Nick to finish showering.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He felt himself drifting from consciousness. As his vision faded to black he heard that southern drawl speak softly.
> 
>  
> 
> "Yer gonna be okay, Nick."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This felt like a great place to stop *wink wink*. I'm going to try to write a lot this week because next week I go back to school, hopefully I won't be too too busy, though!

Nick sighed contently. Ellis had left a pack of toothbrushes on the counter missing the one he used himself. Being able to brush his teeth was almost as good as sex. _'I miss sex.'_ The thought was quick to pass, but it got his mind racing. He hadn't had sex since the infection hit. The night before he'd brought a random blonde home from the bar who left after they'd finished.

He never cuddled after sex, except with his ex wife. Usually to him, it was one night stands and quick, meaningless hook ups. His ex wife was different. He'd met her at a casino. She was going to be another one of his "hit and splits", but she cuddled right up to him and fell asleep. It had sparked something in him that he'd never felt before. It was nice. Fast forward to three years later and she tossed divorce papers into his hands and admitted she was cheating. He shook his head. If she had never admitted to cheating, he would've never left. If he'd never left, he wouldn't have been in Savannah. If he'd never have been in Savannah, he wouldn't have met his team - and also probably would've been dead. He laughed quietly as he walked out of the bathroom. _'Maybe her cheating was good luck after all.'_

As he entered the kitchen, he was met with the smell of food. Before the apocalypse, he was a steak dinner type of guy. Now, he was just glad they could eat at all. Ellis was sitting at the table, practically inhaling his soup. A bowl sat next to his, ready to be eaten. He gave Ellis a quick smirk as he settled into the chair and picked up his spoon. Ellis returned it with a grin, swallowing some soup before speaking. "How ya feelin?"   
"Significantly better now that my mouth is clean." Ellis' eyes lit up as he laughed. "Ho, man I knew yew were gon' love it!" Nick smiled at his soup, as if to hide it. "Yeah, thanks Ace."

As they continued eating, Ellis talked up a storm, as per usual. Nick offered up small replies when necessary, but was pretty quite otherwise. He was more focused on how those plump, pink lips moved as he talked and the way they wrapped around that spoon and how that pink tongue occasionally came out to lick those plump, pink lips and how- _'Oh God, Nick, stop. Jesus Christ just eat!'_ He mentally cursed himself as his focus shifted back to his soup, slightly chilled and neglected. A scowl spread across his lips as he continued to eat. Ellis, oblivious to Nick's thoughts, continued to chatter away, only now he was focused on a more serious topic. "Nick?"   
"Yeah, kid?" He was quiet for a moment, the sparkle in his eyes fading.  
"Whut're we gonna do if Coach n' Ro never meet up with us?" Sensing Ellis' quick mood change, Nick reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.   
"Hey, don't think like that. We'll meet up with them again. Soon.', he chuckled lightly, ' you're the optimist, shouldn't you be telling me this?" Ellis lifted a hand and rubbed at the back of his head, dislodging his cap's position. "I mean, I guess so. Jus' worried is all. I know they're tough, and smart, but m'jus' worried." Nick felt his own stare soften, and his scowl disappear. "Me too, kiddo. Me too." The silence that fell upon them wasn't comfortable, but it wasn't awkward either. It was a mix of worry and need for reassurance.

A few hours had passed, and each man had wandered to different ends of the house, each in need for some alone time. This was to be expected, as they'd been in constant company for weeks. When Nick entered the living room, he found Ellis lounging lazily on the couch, the bill of his hat pushed down to shield his eyes from the light. Unsure if he was asleep, Nick spoke up. "El?" Unmoving, the younger made a small grunt. "Yeah?"   
"I think we should get going." Surprised, the Georgian sat up and pushed his hat away from his eyes. "Whut? Nick we can't jus' leave! Whut if they show up?" Pinching the bridge of his nose, Nick sighed. "I know, El, but we've run this place dry. Look, I know you don't want to leave, but we are most likely traveling slower than them anyway. We've taken a couple days off; they most likely haven't. There's nothing left in this town, Ellis. And without any supplies, this is just a zombie filled graveyard." The look on his face said that Ellis wanted to continue to protest, but he relented. With a sigh, he lifted his hands in mock surrender. "Yer right. We'll leave another note sayin' where we're headin'. Hopefully they can bypass this place an avoid tha zombies."

With their backpack full and their weapons in hand, the two set out of their makeshift safe house for the last time. Ellis had found some sheets of plywood in the garage and used them to make a sign. It read,

  
"COACH RO  
HEAD SOUTH ON HIGHWAY.   
NICK ELLIS"

  
They set it up by the sign at the entrance of town and began working their way south.

They barely made it out of town when they ran into more infected. It was a small horde of only a few zombies that they could easily handle, but it didn't spread good news for the rest of their trip. Ellis stepped toward a female whose gait was gimpy and wasted no time shoving his machete brains deep into her skull. She fell limp and he stepped over her bleeding corpse. Nick picked a few off with his axe, pace quickening to match Ellis'.

"Where we headin'?" 

"Don't know. We'll see where the highway takes us. We should steer clear of big cities, though." Nodding his head in agreement, Ellis looked at the sky. It was a beautiful shade of blue with only a few clouds. On a normal day, he would've been hanging out with his buddies, having a picnic or something and doing stupid shit that they knew they shouldn't. He scoffed at himself. _'Normal day. Hell, fightin' zombies is a normal day now.'_

They continued with their quick pace, careful to avoid unnecessary confrontations with infected. They traveled for only a few hours, but it might as well have been an eternity. Ellis told more stories and Nick tried to drown them out, unsuccessfully. He found himself being roped into them, actually curious to find out what the dumb hick, Keith, managed to get himself(and Ellis) into.

"Thas' when I knew somethin' was goin' on. Keith ain't never been one ta ignore me, so I got worried. I called his brother, Paul, ta check if he was with him. He wasn't. I thought he mighta still been at the garage, workin' late or some shit. But, when I got there, his truck was there, but I couldn't find him. I looked all around fer him. I was so scared, man, I didn't know whut ta do! I was gonna call tha cops, but then mah phone rang. It was Keith! I was so mad at him, yellin' n' askin' him where tha hell he was an why he wasn't answerin' nobody. He was real quiet. He let me finish all mah yellin' before he calmly told me that a lady came Inta tha garage lookin' ta get her oil changed just at closin'. Keith wanted ta say no, but she was, in his words, "real enticin'" an next thing he knows he's back at her place! It was the worst missin' person stories ever told, man."

Nick found himself laughing. Not a fake, "you're dumb" laugh. But an earnest, honest to goodness, laugh. The two laughed subtly at first, but they soon turned to hysterics. It was strange how such a simple story could make them laugh so hard, but it could. Within a matter of minutes they went from chuckling to crying, gasping for air. Caught up in their own laughter, neither man had noticed the attention they had drawn. Neither really cared, either. They were so caught up in their amusement that they did not hear the crying that soon turned to growling.

Nick felt the pain before his brain could even comprehend what was happening. He was thrown onto his back as the witch's claws easily tore his thin, blue dress shirt. He screamed and tried to push her away, but felt all the energy drain out of him. She only managed to get a few swipes in before Ellis had taken action, slicing into her with his machete, but the damage was done.

As her decrepit body slumped beside him, Nick put a hand onto his chest, feeling the warmth of the blood that was gushing out. Ellis was next to him in a flash, dropping to his knees and ripping their bag open in search of their medkit. Nick's vision was blurring as he felt his shirt being ripped open the rest of the way and felt hands on him. Ellis' hands. _'His hands feel nice...'_ He felt himself drifting from consciousness. As his vision faded to black he heard that southern drawl speak softly.

  
"Yer gonna be okay, Nick."


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Well, are you going to lean up against that wall and have a sore back tomorrow or are you going to lay down?"

_'We ain't safe in tha road. Gotta get us somewhere safe so I can patch Nick up...'_ But where? The highway doesn't just make it easy to get off of when you have to carry a passed out, bleeding man. Ellis looked around. There were a few cars ahead that were victims of a pile-up collision, which wouldn't be the best option, but would have to do. Ellis carefully picked Nick up bridal style and headed for the cars. Amongst them was a van. _'Hell, this'll do.'_

Opening the doors open while keeping Nick up was a challenge, but not an impossible one. The van was relatively unscathed, being it was toward the back of the accident. He managed to get Nick and himself in the back of the van rather easily, all things considered. He shut the door and turned his attention back on Nick. The witch's slashes were deep and would most likely require stitching. He, not so gingerly, tore off the older man's dress shirt(well, what was left of it) and reached into their supplies, pulling out a bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide. Ellis sighed quietly to himself. "Man, I'm glad yer out fer this. This'd hurt like a sonuvabitch."

He poured the liquid onto Nick's chest, cringing lightly as it bubbled over his exposed muscle tissue and mixed with the blood, adding to the puddle forming beneath them. Taking Nick's jacket to dab off the excess(he knew Nick would probably throw a fit about it later, but it was all they had), he took out the needle and thread and began to stitch.

The stitching took a while, and wasn't perfect, but Ellis managed to get the deepest cuts sewed shut and patched the rest as best as he could. Now, all he could do was wait for Nick to wake up. The light outside of the van's windows had begun to diminish, meaning they'd most likely be staying in it until morning. Sighing under his breath, Ellis took off his hat and scratched at the back of his head. His curls were getting greasy, but without a shower there was nothing that could be done about it. He wrung his hat in his hands, thinking. Then, he bowed his head and began to speak softly.

"Lord, I know I been buggin' ya lately. An I know that there are folks that need ya more'n me right now. But, look, Nick's one a them people. I know he ain't tha believin' type, but I am. He's hurt real bad. An I need him. I need him so bad it hurts, sometimes. An I know half tha stuff he says an does is 'cause he don't wanna show his feelin's none. I don't know all about his life an why he ain't a believer, but I'm tryna find out. An I am, little by little. He's openin' up ta me, Lord. He's beginnin' ta trust me. I can't let him down now. I told him he'd be okay. An he trusted me. He needs to be okay. I need 'em ta be okay.I can't do this on ma own, 'specially since Ro n' Coach ain't with us no more. They're others who need help. They need ta stay safe. Also, if ya could help 'em meet up with us real soon, that'd be great. If not, then please just keep 'em safe. I guess there ain't much more fer me ta talk to ya 'bout. Not now, anyway. So, I'll let ya git back ta helpin' folks. Amen."

He sat like that for a while, head bowed, hat in his hands. It was all a waiting game. Nick had lost a lot of blood. He would probably be out for a while. He didn't even begin to think about if Nick had lost too much blood. That wasn't even a possibility. Nick would be fine and back to his usual angry self in the morning. He would be griping on about how the van they were in was too cramped or something. As he sat, Ellis felt his eyelids drooping. He fell asleep hoping that, when he woke up, Nick would be better.

The sharp, panging pain in his chest woke Nick up. He blinked, trying to adjust to the darkness and take on his surroundings. Where the hell were they? _'Where the hell...'_ He was shirtless, with his chest bandaged(not the best, but good enough). He tried to move, only to end up panting in even more pain. He uttered out a choked "God damnit." His movement made Ellis stir. The boy was leaning against the wall of the van with his hat on the floor. He looked around sleepily, but upon seeing Nick all the drowsiness was gone from his person, replaced by a mix of gratitude and worry. He was by the latter's side in an instant. "Nick, yer up! How ya feelin'?"

"Hurts like a bitch."

Ellis recoiled slightly, as if his attitude was hurting Nick. "Sorry. I stitched ya up tha best I could. She really tore ya up. I found this here van a short ways up tha road an we've been in here since then." Nick was glad it was dark so Ellis wouldn't see his face heat up at the thought of Ellis carrying him and his hands all over his chest, tending to his wounds. "H... How long was I out?"   
"Don't know, man. Couple a hours at least. It's still dark, though, so it couldn't a been that long. Honestly expected yew to be out longer'n this. Lost a lot a blood." All Nick could do was huff quietly as he tried to shift, but relented when he felt his wound tug. "Feels like it."

Ellis reached for their medkit and dug around for a minute before pulling out a bottle of pain killers, taking a few out, and handing them to Nick. "Ain't tha best, but they should help take tha edge off a bit." Nick grabbed them with a tired hand and tossed them back into his mouth. He laid his head back and looked up at the Georgian. "Well, are you going to lean up against that wall and have a sore back tomorrow or are you going to lay down?" Ellis was silent for a few seconds, until his brain processed what was just asked. "O-oh, uh, yeah, yeah. Right right." When he quit stammering he moved so he was laying right beside the conman, so close he could hear the man's breathing changing pace as he began to fall asleep.

Not many more words were exchanged before the men fell back asleep, mutually deciding that they'd decide what to do in the morning.

 


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Real funny, project runway. You can barely even walk.-" he cocked his gun, the other man doing the same- "So that means you can't run, either."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First of all, thanks for all the love and feedback! It means a lot! With school and life starting again,(this being my "big year") I may slow down on posts slightly. If that happens, don't worry! I am not abandoning this story, I'm too far into it as it is! XD I don't want to make this note too long, but there will hopefully be another chapter up this weekend! Sorry for the lack of romance/smut in this chapter. Don't worry, the next chapter has a treat ;)))

Ellis was the first to wake up, craning his neck slightly to gaze at Nick. His breath was calm, but shallow, indicating some distress. The morning brought pain to the two men. Ellis was still nursing his bruises - and potentially worse(he wasn't sure) - from the charger, and Nick was still bleeding from the witch encounter. He was stitched and bandaged, but some cuts that weren't deep enough for stitches still bled, seeping through the bandages. As Ellis examined Nick's injuries, he couldn't help but shake the fear tugging at his mind.

_'Whut if I didn't clean 'em good 'nough an they get infected? Whut if he don't heal before he gets attacked again? What if -'_

A sudden, loud noise startled him, making him jump, subsequently bumping into Nick. Nick groaned and, without opening his eyes, reached to swat at Ellis. His pain filled, thick-with-sleep voice rang throughout the van. "The fuck, Ace?" Ellis felt a blush creep onto his face as he looked apologetically at Nick. "Sorry. I heard somethin' out there 'n it scared me. How ya doin'?"

Nick opened his eyes, before reaching to move himself into a sitting position, only to fall back down with a low growl. "Been better. I'll live, we need to get going." Ellis couldn't help but scoff. _'Is he serious?'_ "Nick, yew were jus' cut open. Yew ain't exactly gonna be able to run away from zombies. I doubt you can even walk.," he paused for a moment, thinking, then it was as if a light went on, "I know! I'll try to get this thing started! It's in a pile up, but it's seems alright. Maybe the innards are still functional. Then, we can keep goin', but yew ain't gotta walk." Nick harbored a disbelieving look on his face, but seemed to relent with the fact he wouldn't have to walk. He sighed. "Go for it, Ace. There've gotta be tools in one of these, right? At least help me out there so you aren't alone."

Leaving no room for argument, Nick began to scoot toward the door, letting his legs do most of the work. Worry was plastered across Ellis' face, but he kept quiet, moving for the door. Upon opening it, they were blinded by the sun. It was above them; not directly, but close. Seeing no sign of what could've caused the noise earlier, Ellis hopped out of the van, feeling his chest give some protest. He wouldn't say it out loud(because to him, Nick's injuries were in more need of tending), but the charger's grip and slams really did a number on him. He could feel the bruises when he moved, and it hurt to breathe. He'd most likely bruised a rib, but he wasn't sure. Whenever he and Keith did their "stunts", Keith was always the one to get hurt, not Ellis. He wasn't used to pain. Shaking his head to distract himself, Ellis moved to help Nick.

  
Nick tried to act like he wasn't in pain, but that failed fairly quickly. He winced with every move, all the breath taken from him. Ellis had an arm wrapped under his arms and around his back for support, which he'd latched on to and squeezed through the pain. If he'd hurt Ellis, the hick didn't act like it. He only looked at him with concern, their faces only about a foot apart. "Y'alright? Don't gotta keep goin' if ya don't wanna." Nick shut his eyes and swallowed hard. "Get me out of this fucking van. Please." It wasn't that he didn't want to be in the van; he didn't want to let Ellis be alone outside. The kid took a beating by a charger(which he knew was still hurting him) and he didn't want to risk anything worse happening to him. Like his dream. Shuddering at the memory, he began to scoot more, signaling to continue moving.

After ten minutes, multiple breaks, and a lot of swearing they managed to get Nick from the van to leaning against one of the other cars in the pileup, near the front of the van. There were several pick up trucks in the accident, so there was a potential for one to be harboring tools. When he lifted the hood, he frowned. "God damn." Nick's head cocked to the side as he stared at Ellis( _all_ of Ellis) from his position near the van. "What?" Ellis didn't answer. Instead, he slammed the hood and began to step away, feeling anger rise in his pained chest. _'Well course I shoulda known...'_

Nick stayed in his position, more out of force than will. He'd never seen Ellis look so... angry. Defeated. He hadn't walked more than ten feet away, but there was a fist for one hand at his side with the other gripping his hat and throwing it to the ground. Nick began to move slowly, careful not to hurt himself. "El? What the fuck?" Ellis didn't turn around. "The god damn battery's gone. No battery, no car."

He was quiet for a few minutes, Nick just staring, then Ellis suddenly whipped around to face him. "I told you I heard a damn noise! I betchu someone took the battery. It musta been the hood slammin' shut or some shit." Nick's face was proof that he thought Ellis was full of shit. Ellis wasn't relenting, sure he was onto something. "Think about it, man. Nothin' else 'round here coulda made such a loud noise with no source. It sounded like it was right up on us, which'd make sense if it was the hood. 'Spose we didn't hear it open, 'cause it woulda been a lot quieter." Ellis was borderline rambling, but Nick wasn't listening anymore. He was staring at something behind Ellis. "But why would someone take tha battery if we were in the car? Where did they go without us hearin' 'em? And who woulda-" Nick put his hand up to silence the boy. "Turn around." Upon doing so, Ellis went white.

Two burly men stood off the highway in the brush, shotguns at the ready. They were aiming directly at Nick and Ellis. All Ellis could do was utter a whispered "shit."

He bent down slowly, retrieving his hat and placing it back onto his head. Neither of the pair had their weapons, being they left them in the van. Running for them would mean getting shot. One man, a large white man with long brown hair and a scraggly beard was the first to speak. "Give us all you got. Ain't gonna say it twice. Now." Nick laughed quietly. "Look, pal. Hate to burst your bubble, but we don't have anything. Why do you think we were trying to start a damn van?"

It was the other man's turn to interrupt. He was a taller man with short blonde hair and wearing nothing but cargo shorts and a bandana. "Shut up, shithead. We know you got a pack. Watched hillbilly here carry it, and you, into that van. Looked like newlyweds, by the way. So sweet." His voice dripped venom, despite his lack luster appearance. Nick felt himself losing his temper. "Listen, Sons of Anarchy rejects, we don't have shit. So if you'd just put your damn guns down and let us walk away, we won't kill you. Get me?"

The men turned to each other, staring for a moment before bursting out laughing. The blonde spoke through puffs of air. "Real funny, project runway. You can barely even walk.-" he cocked his gun, the other man doing the same- "So that means you can't run, either." Ellis remained silent, terrified throughout the whole ordeal. But now reality set in. These men were going to shoot. They were going to die. The men took aim. Right as their fingers were pulling back on the triggers, the cocking of another shotgun interrupted them. "It'd be best if you don't do that." The words were followed by a second gun being cocked. "Yeah, it won't end well for you." All Nick and Ellis could do was stare in shock. As the men comprehended the situation, Nick looked to who was defending them. "Oh my God." Ellis broke into a shit eating grin. "I knew it!"


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Get in here, Ace."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait! Here's an extra long chapter to make up for it. Happy Labor Day! I hope you all are enjoying your day off! I'll try to have the next chapter up some time this week. Enjoy!  
> -M.

The gunmen looked down the barrel of the pump shotgun before placing their hands up in surrender. The stockier man lowered his own gun. "You're lucky. Now, get out of here before we change our minds and bring backup." With that, the two began to walk into the tree line by the highway.

They had barely gotten out of sight when Ellis moved as fast as he could toward their saviors. They were barely able to lower their own weapons before they were enveloped in a bear hug(which hurt Ellis to do, but this moment was much too overdue for him to care.) "Oh, man we've missed you two! I actually began to worry if we were gonna meet up again at all. But then, here ya'll are! It's been a journey, lemme tell you. Did y'all see my signs? Clearly ya did, never mind. Anyway, when we first saw all them tanks back-"

His ramblings were interrupted by laughter as their hug began to loosen. He looked at Coach and Rochelle, taking in their appearances. They seemed relatively unharmed save for some minor cuts and bruises. _'Prolly 'cause we wiped out most a tha zombies in their way..'_ As they relished in their newly whole group, a gasp came from behind them. They all turned to see Nick leaning against the van, clutching at his bandaged chest. They were next to him in an instant, something which Nick hated. He hated people fussing over him. He attempted to shove them away, but found it took too much energy to do so. Moving around so much so quickly was a bad idea(he knew it was). There was blood beginning to seep through the bandages, turning the dried, brown blood splotches dark red once again.

His hand slipped and he nearly face planted, had Ellis not caught him mid fall. As their bodies draped together, Nick couldn't help but feel a tightness in his chest that wasn't from his wounds. He thought about trying to stand on his own, but decided against it. _'Don't wanna hurt yourself more. Not because you like him being so close or anything.'_

Ellis helped Nick into a more steady lean against him. "Aw, Nick, I knew we shouldn't a moved yew. Yew mighta tore some stitches. Coach can help get 'em fixed up. He's better at that then me." He turned toward the other two. "Think we should move on first, though? They said they would bring backup if we weren't gone..." Rochelle laid a hand on his shoulder comfortingly for a moment before removing it, turning to face the woods. "I think it'd be best if we get on our way, but what about Nick? He can't exactly walk much." Nick scoffed. _'I'm hurt, not deaf. No need to talk like I can't fucking hear you.'_ He opted to remain quiet, focusing more on the biceps wrapped around his frame and how they made his head lightly fuzzy.

In the end, they decided that Coach would give Nick a piggyback ride, since he was the biggest, and subsequently the strongest. Nick's head swam and his vision was blurring, but he was still conscious. His head was rested on Coach's shoulder, eyes lidded half closed. He hadn't said anything since he'd seen Coach and Rochelle, which was odd. But, considering his injuries, was not all that surprising. Ellis and Rochelle were on either sides of Coach, weapons at the ready. Ellis'd grabbed their backpack before they left, and had pulled out some canned pineapples, sharing with his team. Coach and Rochelle had taken some, but Nick denied. He just watched as those Georgian lips parted as he plopped a pineapple chunk into his mouth, with those lips closing around it slightly as it passed through them. He noted the juice that was moistening them, running down his chin a bit. _'Hot damn.'_

Feeling drowsy, Nick allowed himself to doze. He repositioned his head against Coach so that his eyes were shielded from the light and he focused on the repeated motion of Coach's footsteps, finding the rhythm soothing. Just before he fell asleep he heard the tell tale signs of a story coming from Ellis. "Did I ever tell yew 'bout tha time Keith n' I..."

"...That's when we learned to never antagonize a mama opossum." _'Damn, thought I'd a slept longer than one fucking story.'_ Nick shuffled, inherently letting Coach and the others know he was awake. The big man briefly acknowledged him with a "mornin', Nick." before turning his attention back to Ellis. "Boy, you an yo' friend are some of the craziest sons o' bitches." Ellis laughed loudly. "Ho, man, you sound like my mama!' he was quiet for a moment, then sighed, looking distantly, 'I miss my mama. An' Keith." The others were in shock. They'd never heard Ellis seem so down. It was disconcerting. Rochelle moved close to Ellis and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. "Ellis, sweety, what... what happened to them?"

He expected them to ask this question. He looked at their faces, quickly glancing over Coach and Rochelle, finding Nick's eyes. He stared into those green irises for a minute, finding his courage. He took a deep breath and stopped walking, turning to face his group. "Well, when we first heard a people gettin' sick, Keith didn't think it was anythin' ta worry 'bout. He said it was 'just like the bird flu'. Then, mama got sick. It was the day we all met at the Vannah. We were listenin' to tha radio in the garage, like we always did during work, when they came on with an emergency broadcast, tellin' folks where ta go for evacs. Mama had called and canceled our dinner together tha night before 'cause she wasn't feelin' very good. So, when I heard that, I had a bad feelin' an' I told Keith I'd meet him at the Vannah after I got mama."

He didn't realize it, but there were tears streaming down his face, along with Rochelle's. Coach looked sympathetic and worried. Nick had his signature poker face, but his eyes appeared softer, looking at Ellis with a glint of something the boy couldn't identify.

"Anyway, I drove my truck to my mama's an' ran inside. She didn't lock her door really, so I wasn't surprised that it was unlocked. I went for her bedroom. I opened the door and... I found her. She looked so... sick. Like she wasn't her no more. I went to her, tryin' ta talk to her, askin' if she was okay. I knew she wasn't, but I didn't know whut else ta do. That's when she came at me."

His eyes were misty and clouded over, remembering the horrific event.

"She tried ta bite me. Nearly did, too. I was so shocked I could barely move. All I could do was push her back. The only thing I had to defend myself was my crowbar, but it was in my truck. When she came at me again, I had no choice. I hit her. Right in the nose. S-she stumbled, but kept on comin'. I did it again. And again. Finally, she backed off enough for me ta run. I bolted for my truck, grabbin' my crowbar. I-I didn't want ta hurt her. She was my mama. But I didn't want her ta suffer. Ta be one a them. So, I knew what I had ta do. I ran back in an' I-"

He was borderline sobbing now, unable to finish. But they knew what he'd done. And it was heartbreaking. Rochelle wrapped her arms around him, crying quietly with him. Coach was still supporting Nick, but he moved them both closer and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder. Nick leaned into Coach awkwardly, unable to do much in the way of comfort. He looked at Ellis, feeling his eyes beginning to well up. He looked away, blinking rapidly. He was supposed to be a hardass. And hardasses don't cry. So, he avoided looking. He could still hear the sobs of the kid, horrifically remembering killing his mother. But, she wasn't his mother. Not at that point. She was infected. She was a zombie.

Finding his voice, he looked back at Ellis. He began to squirm against Coach in an effort to get down. Coach, who realized what Nick was trying to say, bent his knees so Nick could hop off. Once he was off, he began to move toward Ellis. Ellis' face turned toward him, trying to calm himself. Nick brought his hand up and laid it on the opposite shoulder that Coach's was on. He stared into those blue irises, so much more blue now that they were in tears, and spoke softly. "You did what you had to, Ace. At that point, she was gone. I'm sure, wherever she is, that she's glad you didn't let her become a monster. You saved her."

Nick felt all eyes on him. _'What? I'm not mean all the time, Jesus Christ.'_ Ellis took some deep, ragged breaths in an attempt to compose himself. He spoke, although it was interrupted by gasps from crying. "Th-tha-thanks, Ni-Nick." They all stayed like that for a bit, allowing Ellis to cry himself out. Being that they were in the middle of the highway, it probably wasn't the safest option, but they didn't care. They cared about Ellis. Everyone was allowed to be sad some time. No one had to smile and be cheery every second of every day.

Once he was all cried out, Ellis was exhausted. He was the first to share his story of that day. None of the others had yet. They would. When they were ready. After his sobs had died down to small breaths, Coach's booming voice rang out. "We should find somewhere to hole up for the night. Gotta tend to Nick's wounds soon, too." Rochelle, who had been holding Ellis the whole time he cried, let go and looked around. "Yeah, but where?" Nick began to walk forward slowly, attempting to read a sign a ways up the road. "There's gotta be somewhere off the next off ramp. Shouldn't be too long of a walk. Hopefully."

As Nick predicted, the walk was only about two hours. Which, considering how long they'd walked previously, was nothing. It was mostly spent in silence, as Ellis had seemingly talked himself out. Nick had managed to walk a part of the way, but ended up being put back on Coach's back to "move quicker" as Coach said, but he knew the older man could tell he was hurting and wanted to give him a break. The town they'd ended up in was fairly quaint, considering everything. There were some lingering infected, but nothing the group couldn't handle. It's a good thing, too, with Ellis being emotionally(and physically) exhausted and Nick being hurt.

It appeared that the town was more for passing through, at least where they were. They found a hotel and decided they would try there. There weren't many cars out front, which was a potentially good sign. Upon reaching the door, Rochelle noticed a crudely made sign out of printer paper and pen. "'Closed due to illness.' Maybe we got lucky and it's abandoned." She tried the door, but it was, as expected, locked. Coached stepped forward, placing his hand on her shoulder, pulling her back lightly. "All y'all, get back." He raised the butt of his shotgun and slammed it into the door, shattering the glass. It took a couple more knocks to get most of the glass out, but soon enough there was a hole big enough for them all to get through.

Once in, they decided they would only stay on the first floor. "Ellis, Nick, y'all stay here while Ro n' I check everything out. We'll block off the stairs and shit so we can make sure nothin' gets onto this floor. We'll also search the rooms. We all could actually get our own tonight if it's clear. Wouldn't that be nice?" Nodding in agreeance, Rochelle turned to follow him, leaving Ellis and Nick alone in the lobby. Nick made his way to a couch close to them and plopped down with a sigh. Ellis followed suit, sitting softly at the other end.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, neither knowing what to say. Ellis turned to Nick, smiling slightly. "Thank ya, Nick. Meant a lot ta me what yew said earlier." Nick felt himself smirking back. "No problem, El." After that, their silence was more comfortable, neither feeling the need to say anything until Coach and Rochelle reentered the lobby. "Nothin, 'sclean. Got four rooms ready fo' us, too. Before we do that, though, we gotta clean your bandages, Nick."

Rochelle had also been carrying a backpack full of supplies, which she lowered off her shoulder and dug around in, pulling out their medkit. Nick moved slowly, peeling off his, still shredded, jacket and dress shirt. Rochelle snorted quietly at the sight. "Damn, Nick, we need to get you some new clothes." Nick laughed sarcastically before turning his attention back to his bandages, beginning to remove them slowly.

The cleaning process was not fun, but was significantly better than having his cuts get infected. Coach poured some of their Hydrogen Peroxide on his chest before rebandaging. He deemed Ellis' stitch work pretty decent, not finding anywhere that needed touched up or fixed. After they got Nick cleaned, they passed out some canned vegetables and ate. They hadn't eaten in hours, and the food was gone in minutes. They then unanimously decided that it was time to retire to their rooms and try to get some sleep(and a shower. And alone time.)

The hotel had, presumably, emergency generators that were on, allowing for power and water. Nick wasted no time moving into the bathroom. After doing his business, he focused his attention on the shower. He wouldn't be able to shower properly with his bandages, so he'd have to make do. He decided on using a washcloth and running a bath, being sure to stop the water before it reached his chest.

Cleaning himself off made Nick feel like a new person. Relishing in his new, clean state, he wrapped a towel around his waist and tossed his clothes into the tub, determined to clean them, too. His white pants were never going to be white again, but he could still get some grime and germs off of them and his underwear.

He scrubbed his clothes for a good fifteen minutes before letting the water drain from the tub and hanging his clothes on the curtain rack to dry. He found a travel toothbrush and toothpaste provided by the hotel in one of the drawers, so he wasted no time scrubbing his mouth until his gums bled. He spit out his toothpaste, gargled water(which he also spit out) and left the bathroom. He laid on the bed, still clad in only a towel, and allowed himself to relax. His chest ached. It was a dull, thumping pain. They'd run out of pain killers a ways back, so he was shit out of luck there. He was beginning to fall asleep when there was a quiet knock on the door.

_'Oh for fucks sake.'_

Hauling himself off of the bed, Nick adjusted his towel before moving toward the door, stopping a second before pulling it open. Ellis stood in the doorway, looking slightly embarrassed. "What?" "Uh, sorry, Nick. Didn't mean ta bug ya. 'Sjus' that I uh.." he noticed Nick's attire and blushed, lowering his head so his cap covered his face. Nick felt his tone turn more agitated. "You what, overalls?" Ellis moved his head back up, blue eyes meeting green. "I'm scared, Nick."

Nick almost burst out laughing. "Scared? What the fuck, El?" Ellis only blushed harder. "I know, man. But I ain't been alone since I met y'all. It's weird. I figured you'd be tha best one ta go to, seein' as Ro's a lady an' Coach snores real loud.." It was Nick's turn to turn pink. "Are you asking to sleep with me?" Ellis was quick to respond. "Yes. Yes I am. I'm scared and I don't want to be alone. Can I please sleep in here with you? I can sleep on tha floor if ya want. I don't mind. I'll even-" "Get in here, Ace."

Ellis had also appeared to have taken a shower, although he had put his clothes back on. His hair was wet and he held his hat in his hands. "Okay, rule one. We have to wash your clothes. I'm not sleeping next to you in those filthy clothes again." Ellis tilted his head slightly to the side. "How? We ain't got a washer." Nick sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. "The bathtub, dipshit." "Ooooh I gotcha. Okay. I'll go do that."

When Nick entered the bathroom, he found Ellis leaning over the tub wearing nothing but a towel, much like himself. He leaned against the counter, watching the boy work. His coveralls, underwear, and t-shirt were submerged in soapy water, and were being swished around in an attempt to clean them. Nick couldn't contain himself as he stared at Ellis, feeling the humor bubble in the back of his throat. "Nice ass." Ellis whipped around, red faced. "Nick! Holy shit yew scared me!" He stood up, facing the gambler. Before Nick knew what he was doing, he closed the gap between the two. "Nick? Whut're yew.." "Those feelings you've been..feeling. Are they by chance about me?" _'Shit. How did he...?'_ "Uhh.." "Because, as it so happens, you aren't the only one that has been having 'feelings'." 'It's now or never, Nicholas. Do it.'

As the gap closed between their lips, Ellis couldn't help but close his eyes. It was finally happening. Their lips connected, softly at first, timid, but soon turned more rough as they both began to get comfortable with each other. Ellis' hands found their way to Nick's still damp hair, and Nick's hands settled on Ellis' hips. They stayed that way for a few minutes, only separating when they desperately needed air. Their lips were swollen and they were panting lightly. Ellis looked into Nick's eyes. "I've been waitin' for this."


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At that moment, Ellis knew what he was in for. And he was ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is shorter than the last one and kinda uneventful, but it is mainly to set up for the next chapter, which will be muuuuuch more eventful(if you catch my drift) ;))))
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> -M.

"Me too, Ace. Me too." The two were pushed closely together, only towels separating them. As they were leaning in for another kiss, there was, again, a knock at Nick's door. "Oh for the love of- stay here. Go back to washing your clothes." Ellis obediently turned his attention back toward his clothes, swishing them around some more.

Nick opened the door and found Rochelle(whom he presumed it was). She looked at him and turned her head, blushing from the embarrassment of catching him in so little clothes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. Is Ellis in here?" Nick moved out of the way, opening the door and gesturing her in. "He's washing his clothes in the tub." She nodded understandingly and made her way into the bathroom.

When Ellis caught her appear out of the corner of his eye, he jumped and gripped for his towel, making sure it was secure. "R-Ro!" Rochelle couldn't help but laugh at his behavior. She considered Ellis to be the little brother she never had. He was so naïve, yet understanding of their situation. It was strange.

She playfully punched his shoulder before moving to sit on the edge of the counter, Nick standing in the doorway. "Oh, hush sweetie. It isn't anything I haven't seen before. Hell, you and Nick are twinning right now, even!" Nick looked at her out of the corner of his eye, face still focused on Ellis'. "The only difference is, I'm not acting like a school girl being seen in her panties by a boy. Gotta know how to present yourself, sport." Ellis turned even more red and turned back to grab his now, mostly, clean clothes, ringing them out and then tossing them over the curtain rack, much like Nick's, but less neat.

Meanwhile, Rochelle looked around the bathroom. Next to her, on the counter, was Nick's wallet and rings that he'd most likely taken off when he bathed. She picked up his wallet and flipped it open, coming face to face with Nick's driver's license. "You're from Massachusetts, Nick?" At one point in time, he would've snatched his wallet out of her hands and chastised her for snooping. But, at this point, he didn't care, still silently reeling from his encounter with a certain, practically nude hick. "Not exactly. Born and raised in New York. Moved to Boston as soon as I could. Good gambling there. Lotta people holding a lotta money." _'She doesn't need to know any more than that.'_  
"I can see that... Hey, what made you come down south, anyway? I mean, I was here for the news. Ellis and Coach lived here. But, what about you?"

Ellis had now taken to sitting on the toilet(with the lid down, might I add), listening to the exchange. None of them really showed any signs of moving their conversation out of the cramped bathroom. So, he decided to. "Y'all, why don't we actually go into tha room ta chat 'stead a bein' in this little bathroom?"

The room had a queen sized bed in the middle of the room, with nightstands on either side, a lamp on both with a telephone on one. Rochelle took a seat on a chair in the corner, expectantly waiting for Nick to sit and begin his story. Ellis didn't hesitate to plop down onto the edge of the bed, sitting consciously so his towel didn't reveal anything. Nick, on the other hand, remained standing, walking over toward the window, looking to the empty street below.

"Came down for the riverboat casinos. That's about it." It wasn't it, and Ellis could tell. There was something in the way Nick's shoulders stiffened and he didn't look at them. He made a mental note to ask later, when Rochelle left. Rochelle, who was not an idiot, knew that that wasn't the full story, but she knew better than to push it. Instead, she got up and headed for the door. "Makes sense. I'll see you guys in the morning. I'm going to go shower and sleep. We finally have our own beds! I'm so excited! Coach is already in a deep hibernation. I went to check on him before I came here and heard him snoring through the door." She opened the door, calling out a quick "goodnight, boys!" before making her way to her room down the hall.

Now that they were alone, Ellis patted the bed next to him, coaxing Nick to sit. When he did, he put his hand on Nick's shoulder. "Now, if ya don't wanna talk, ya don't gotta. But I know that ain't the whole reason yew came down here." Nick's head lowered and he slumped his shoulders, heaving a sigh before bringing his gaze back to Ellis'.

For some reason, he felt the need to talk. To tell the him what had happened. He'd never felt the need to tell anyone anything before. Not even his wife. It made his head feel weird just thinking about it. He took a breath for courage, and began to tell his story.

"When I was married, my wife cheated on me,which I mentioned before, that bitch. Anyway, when I confronted her about it, she admitted to cheating on me with another gang member."

Ellis' eyebrows knitted together at the confirmation of Nick's dangerous past. Sensing Ellis' discomfort, Nick began to explain himself.

"The gang I was in wasn't exactly a "Kill" type of gang. Not in the literal sense, anyway. On occasion, yes, but usually it was just conning men until they lost everything- house, car, money, clothes, loved ones. The whole shebang. Any who, back to the story. We started fighting, and I mean a full on war. I never, _ever_ laid a finger on her, though."

He inhaled quietly.

"That's not what he heard."

Ellis gasped, putting his hands onto Nick's left leg.

"I was collecting my earnings from my games that night before heading out. When I rounded the corner of the street, he was there. He also brought along some friends."

He shuddered at the memory, almost wishing he'd never brought it up at all. He shook his head, deciding not to tell Ellis about the fight. He didn't need to imagine that.

"I'll spare you the details of what happened, but I ended up in the hospital with a broken leg, fractured ribs, and a couple stab wounds. When I healed up, I split. I did not want to run into them, or her, again."

Ellis was silent, taking in the story. He took a quiet, deep breath and leaned in, connecting his lips with Nick's cheek. "M'sorry that happened ta yew, Nick. But yer okay now! Well, for tha most part, hehe."

"Yeah, if you call having stitches covering your chest 'okay' then I'm super." His speech was thick with sarcasm, but Ellis' mood didn't falter. Instead, he nuzzled his cheek into Nick's shoulder, feeling his muscles tense, then relax, getting used to the unfamiliar contact. A yawn escaped his mouth before he could stop it, and Nick followed suit. "We should sleep, Ace. Probably got a long day tomorrow. Like always. Pick your side while I lock the door and turn off the lights."

Ellis decided that he would take the left side of the bed, closest to the window. Still clad only in a towel, he peeled the blankets back and laid down, pulling the covers up to his chest. Nick made sure the door was locked and flicked the light switch off before moving back toward the bed. He peeled back the covers, like Ellis had done, but then did something the latter definitely did not expect. He dropped his towel.

Nick didn't think much of it. The towel would fall off during sleep anyway, so why not take it off and save the discomfort?(There most certainly wasn't an alterior motive...) As he settled in bed, he caught a glimpse of Ellis out of the corner of his eye. He was beat red and looking around the room, flustered. "It was gonna fall off anyway, sport. Might as well take yours off, too."

Nick was pretty good at hiding his embarrassment. Ellis, not so much.

"O-oh. Uh, y-yeah. Yer right. Right yew are. I'll do that now. Take my towel off. Yep. Easy-peasy."

As Ellis reached under the blanket and pulled his towel off, he couldn't help but wonder where this would go. Maybe somewhere. Maybe nowhere. All he could focus on was Nick's naked body lying right next to him. He was so close he could feel him. Touch him. Taste him.

As if Nick could sense what he was thinking, he began to scoot closer. He moved so close there arms pressed up against one another. Nick leaned in, stopping centimeters from those sweet lips he longed to taste.

"Why d'ya think I locked the door, Ace?"

At that moment, Ellis knew what he was in for. And he was ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Muhahahahahahah ;) The next chapter will be up this weekend(it'll be loooooong too ;p) Hopefully Saturday some time so stay tuned!!


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Say my name like that again and I will."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This is my first time writing smut, so I hope it's okay! I've read tons but never actually wrote any. Enjoy!

Their lips connected in a timid flame. Nick's thin lips separated as he allowed his tongue to slip between them, sliding across the younger's bottom lip, requesting access. Ellis willingly accepted the request, sending their tongues into a battle for dominance.

Eventually, he let him win, allowing Nick roam his tongue throughout his mouth. Of course, Ellis had made out with girls before. But this felt different. It was like he didn't have to be as gentle as he would with a girl. Like he could really push back in dominance and not worry about hurting Nick. It felt... good. Great, even. His head was spinning from the excitement.

As the kiss deepened, Nick began to reposition himself so that he was on top of Ellis, legs straddling the latter's. He felt Ellis' hardening member against his, adding to his own excitement. He pushed the boy back against the pillows, pulling apart for air. "Damn, overalls. Didn't know you were so sweet." Ellis' cheeks turned a deep crimson, still visible even in the dark. "U-uh..thank ya, Nick." He was nervous, that much Nick could tell. Had he ever had sex before? "Ellis, have you ever-" "no."

He knew what was being asked, and there was no sense to lie. He'd had girlfriends and done things, but never went "all the way". He was scared, but something in his mind made him trusting that Nick would help him through it.

_'Great, Nicholas, you're going to hurt him. Fucking great. No lube either. Probably make him never want to have sex again.'_

Pushing that thought to the back of his mind, Nick connected their lips again, but only briefly. He then began to trail down Ellis' neck, stopping at the nape to suck lightly. He wanted so badly to leave a mark; to mark Ellis as his. But he couldn't. Not yet. So, he moved on, kissing down his chest, stopping around his nipple.

Nick grazed his tongue lightly over the raised, pink skin. A small gasp of pleasure escaped Ellis, barely audible. Who knew nipples could be so arousing? Nick did. Working his teeth around the flesh in soft nibbles made the hick gasp slightly louder, followed by a quiet moan. Refusing to neglect the other nipple, Nick trailed kisses from one end of Ellis' chest to the other before repeating his actions.

Ellis liked this. He liked it a lot.

Nick was satisfied with the gasps he was rousing out of Ellis. They were enticing. Instead of continuing on his trail downwards, he moved back up, leaving kisses until their mouths clashed once more. This time, Ellis tried for dominance. It was clear that Nick liked to be more in control, but Ellis wasn't going to let Nick satisfy him and him not return the favor.

There was one thing Ellis remembered an old girlfriend used on him once that really made his gears shift: the ear nibble.

_'Maybe he'll like it.'_

He pulled away from Nick, hearing Nick grunt lowly in protest. He worked his way to the gambler's ear, breathing into it and gripping his teeth lightly around the lobe. He felt Nick's breath hitch before a quiet growl escaped his mouth.

_'Success.'_

Nick couldn't take it anymore. He wanted Ellis. He needed Ellis. Now. And he was going to get him. With a swift motion he placed his hands on the boy's shoulders, holding him down. He trailed a hand down his torso until he found the "happy trail" of hair leading from Ellis' lower abdomen to groin. Tracing the hair with his fingers, he continued down until his hand reached Ellis' hard member. He gripped it firmly, but not painfully, enjoying the moans that escaped him. He started moving his hand in a pumping motion, back and forth, occasionally grazing his thumb over the slit of Ellis' cock.

_'Holy sheeeeiiiiiiit.'_

"D-damn, Nick. Yeah."

Nick chuckled quietly. "Like that, Ace?"  
He got a mumbled "mhm" out of Ellis, which was enough to make him groan. Seeing Ellis in such a state of pleasure was so, well, pleasing.

_'I wonder if he wants to go all th-'_

"I want yew ta fuck me, Nick."

That sentence shocked Nick, causing him to stop his rubbing. He looked down at Ellis, whose eyes were staring back up at him, the blue pools staring deep into him. "W-what?" Ellis bucked his hips a bit, trying to signal Nick to keep going. "I ain't that fragile. I can take it. I want yew ta take me, Nick." Nick's green irises glazed over Ellis' body before settling back to his lips.

"Say my name like that again and I will."

"Nnnnnnniiiiiiiiiick!"

The mere saying of his name by the boy was enough to send Nick to the brink of climax. He had a finger rimming the edge of Ellis' entrance, attempting to get him relaxed. Slowly, he inserted the digit. He felt Ellis stiffen. "El, you gotta relax. I won't be able to get in if you don't. Also, it'll hurt like a bitch." _'Which it will anyway because I'm an idiot who forgot lube, but I don't want to scare you by saying that, so I won't.'_ Ellis nodded his head, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. Thinking about doing it and actually doing it are two different things. He thought about relaxing as soon as Nick told him to, but his body wasn't ready to.

Eventually, Nick put a second digit in him, moving them in a scissor motion to stretch his muscles. It was a weird sensation, but an over all pleasurable one. They did this for a while, Nick fingering his entrance while they exchanged kisses and roamed each other's bodies. He felt a sort of emptiness when Nick took his digits out. "Okay, Ace. You ready? Now, I tried to get you as ready as I could, but it's still probably going to hurt. Im sorry, I should've thought about lube. It completely slipped my mind." _'Who's ramblin' now, mr. gamblin' man?'_ Ellis smirked as he looked at Nick's face, trust in his eyes. "I trust yew, Nick."

_'He trusts me?'_

"You probably shouldn't, kid."

When Nick said it would hurt, he didn't think it would feel like he was being ripped apart. Nick took his own member in his hand, using one hand to guide himself in and the other to brace Ellis. Ellis gasped, scrunching up his face and digging his hands into the sheets. Nick went slow, but he knew he shouldn't have went in dry. As he watched Ellis struggle, quietly breathing through the pain, he couldn't help but utter a steady stream of "sorry sorry sorry".

When he got himself fully in, he pulled back, almost to coming back out. He repeating the motion, going slow yet again. As Ellis' body relaxed and adjusted to the sensation, he relaxed his face and allowed his hands to roam Nick. They found their way to his back, running up and down, not applying much pressure until Nick went deep enough to hit his prostate. As soon as he pushed his head against it, Ellis dug his nails into Nick's skin with immense pleasure. He'd orgasmed before, but he'd never felt a sensation as good as that was.

The more they fell into a rhythm, the more things heated up. Soft moans turned louder, only to be stifled by one another with kisses or hands to keep from alerting their teammates. As Nick rutted into Ellis, he felt the hick push back against him, aching for more. So, he was going to give it to him. Still thrusting, Nick reached a hand around and grabbed Ellis' neglected, throbbing cock. This made Ellis moan even louder, bordering on a soft scream. Nick timed his pumps of Ellis' cock to his thrusts, trying to give him to most pleasure at once. His legs and abdomen were beginning to clench and shake, signifying to Nick that he was getting close.

"N-Niiiiick I-I'm, ahh, so c-close." He growled and thrust harder. "C'mon, El. Come for me." Ellis' head leaned back as he gripped Nick's back, nails digging in, scratch marks following as he moved.  
"Ahh, Nick!"

His breaths were shorter and quicker, his chest heaving with moans. Ellis was definitely the more vocal of the two, Nick using primarily grunts, growls, and the occasional "Ellis" or "El". He saw Nick lean his head back, nose pointed toward the ceiling as his own body came close to release. Ellis felt his back arch as pure ecstasy poured over him and he spilled the warm liquid onto his stomach(and Nick's hand). Nick was close behind, closing his eyes and tightening his grip on Ellis' hips as he growled out a prolonged "Elllllliiiiiiiss".

It wasn't his intention to finish inside of the boy, but feeling Ellis finish was enough to send him over the edge. Feeling his muscles contract rapidly and seeing his face of bliss as he released onto his hand. When he finished, pulled out, wiping his hand on the bed sheets as he did so, before laying beside Ellis. The latter turned to him with an embarrassed smile on his face. "T-that was nice, Nick. Thank yew." Nick couldn't stop himself from laughing. "Yeah, you won't think it was so nice in the morning, sport... but... it was pretty nice. I was going to pull out before I came...sorry." Ellis only smiled. "Don't worry 'bout. I can't get pregnant anyway... It was weird feelin'. Kinda warm." Nick chuckled yet again before opening his arm in a silent gesture for Ellis to come closer, which he did, cuddling up to Nick's sweat covered chest.

With their energy depleted, they were almost asleep within minutes. The last thing Nick heard Ellis say before he fell asleep was "G'night, Nick." Then a much quieter "I'm glad yew were my first."


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This chapter is mostly centered around Rochelle's perspective(sorta) enjoy!
> 
> -M.

Nick woke up to find himself practically entrapped in Ellis' legs. The latter had brought his legs around him, effectively straddling him in place. Nick slowly began to move, stopping when a sharp pain coursed through his chest. It forced all the air out of his lungs, and all he could do was whisper a short "Fuck."

He looked down at his chest, and noticed dark splotches on his light bandages. _'Not good.'_ He looked back at Ellis' sleeping face. Should he wake him? Deciding against that, he worked his way out of the boy's grasp, breathing through the pain. When he was successfully out, he slid off the bed and made his way to the bathroom.

In the bathroom, he was reminded that he was still naked, and that his body was definitely not as young as it used to be. Apart from the pain of his chest, he was also sore. He hadn't had sex like that (well, sex at all) since the outbreak. He could only imagine what Ellis would feel in the morning.

He had shut the door so that the bathroom light would not wake Ellis up, which proved successful, as Nick didn't hear any movement from the room. He turned and found his underwear and pants to be mostly dry, so he pulled them on. He then set himself to try to fix his bandages. He stopped he realized that the bandages were in their backpack, which Rochelle had taken into her room. _'Oh fuck me.'_

Nick made sure to turn the light out before leaving the bathroom, and to make sure the hotel room door was unlocked before he went out it, so that he didn't need to wake Ellis in the middle of the night for reentry. The more he walked, the more difficult it was. His legs hurt, but what really slowed him was his chest. It appeared that he had been bleeding much more than he originally had thought, as there was blood staining almost the entirety of the bandages. He head was fuzzy as he found the door that was Rochelle's and knocked on it quietly. "Ro. You up?"

When Rochelle heard the knock on her door she was awake instantly. She used to be a moderately heavy sleeper. Now, thanks to the infection, she now slept very, very lightly. She was quiet for a moment, waiting to see what the noise was when she heard Nick's voice through the door. "Ro. You up?"

She sighed with relief before moving to get out of bed. She had found a robe in the closet and was donned in that, but nothing else, as she followed Nick and Ellis' example and washed her clothes in the tub. She made sure the robe was covering everything and tied securely before opening the door. As soon as she saw Nick, she gasped.

He was leaning against her doorway, breathing quick, shallow breaths. His bandages were pretty much soaked through with blood. Clearly, something had gone wrong with his stitches. But how? Wordlessly, she put her arm around Nick's back, leading him to the bed in the middle of the room. She hurried back over to the door, shutting it and turning on the light before quickly grabbing for their pack with medical supplies in it.

She brought the bag to the bed and set it down next to Nick. He was quiet, particularly focused on the wall. She went to the bathroom, returning with a washcloth and a towel. She laid them down next to Nick and began to peel his bandages away.

The healing process had already begun, so the bandages had stuck to his skin in some places, which bled more when they were pulled apart. She was slow and careful as to not hurt Nick too much. He winced when a particularly large scab of blood and skin peeled off, causing Rochelle to frown in worry.

After pulling the bandages off, she took the towel, blotting off blood. Between the blotting and the blood seeping, she was able to see that some of his stitches had definitely ripped. That meant Nick would've had to have done some strenuous activities. _'What could you have done, Nicholas?'_ "Nick, sweetie. You ripped some stitches. How on earth did you manage that?" He was quiet, either not comprehending or choosing not to answer, she couldn't tell.

When the blood kept pouring, she decided she would need more hands. She pressed the towel to Nick's chest, apologizing softly as he gasped. "You hold this here. I'm gonna go get Coach." Nick silently obliged, leaning back on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Rochelle hurried out of the room and down the hall to Coach's room. She knocked on the door, then turned the knob. It was unlocked. She walked in and found Coach on the bed, above the covers, fully clothed. It appeared he walked in, laid on the bed, and fell asleep. She grabbed his shoulder, shaking it lightly. "Coach. Coach, wake up. I need your help." Coach grunted as his peaceful hibernation was interrupted. "Ro? Baby girl, why the hell are you wakin' me up in the middle of the night?" "Nick's stitches ripped."

That sentence alone was enough to get the big man moving. Chest wounds bled a lot. If they aren't sewn soon enough, the person could lose a lot of blood. Plus, the ripping of stitches meant damaging the skin around the hurt area, making the area bigger. He followed Rochelle through the hall and down to her open door, finding Nick in the position she'd left him in. He didn't acknowledge that the two had entered the room.

When Coach got closer, he could see why Rochelle had asked for his help. The towel Nick had pressed to his chest was quickly becoming tinted with red. His eyes were half lidded and he appeared to be out of it. His head tilted a bit when he saw Coach. "She woke the bear, did she?" He chuckled, only for it to be turned into small gasps. Coach said nothing, allowing Nick to poke fun as he set to work.

"How the hell did Ellis do all this himself?"   
"Had to. Didn't have nobody to help him." They were stitching Nick up, which turned out to be harder than they anticipated. When they poured the hydrogen peroxide into his wounds, it took all Nick had to not scream. Instead, he gasped, body arching. Coach held him down, but it was still difficult. Seeing this, Coach removed his belt, putting it between Nick's teeth. "Bite." Nick listened, biting hard every time the liquid touched his skin. The peroxide started a new round of bleeding, so Rochelle had to quickly dab away any blood as Coach began to stitch.

It was a time consuming and nerve wracking process, but after about two hours they were done. Nick had passed out sometime during the middle of the stitching, so he just lay on Rochelle's bed limply as Coach and Rochelle put all the supplies away and cleaned up. "Coach, what do you think Nick did to pull his stitches?" The big man thought for a moment, then dismissed it. "Don't know. Coulda just moved too much in his sleep I suppose."

Rochelle stood in the hallway, watching Coach close the door to his room. Just as she was getting ready to go back into her room, Nick's door opened. Ellis appeared wearing his, now dry, clothes. "Ro, where's Nick?" _'Why was he in Nick's room?'_ "He's in my room, sweetie. His stitches ripped so Coach and I had to fix him up." Ellis' face got a look of concern. As he walked toward her, Rochelle couldn't help but notice the slight, stiff limp Ellis had in his walk. Suddenly, something clicked in her mind. _'Oh my god.'_

Her face turned pink as she looked toward the ground, avoiding eye contact with Ellis. She'd have a chat with him about this, but not right now. She led him into her room, shutting the door behind them.

Ellis made his way into the room, settling down in a chair next to the bed. Rochelle stood next to him quietly. There wasn't anything to say. She could tell that Ellis had something on his mind by the look on his face. "What's the matter, Ellis?" He looked up at her, worry in his blue eyes. "Did his stitches rip because I didnt do 'em right?" The blush crept back onto her cheeks. "No... Coach said Nick had to have done something strenuous." Ellis' head cocked to the side in confusion, before realization set in, making his face turn bright red as he looked at the ground. "O-oh. I see." She moved closer to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "It's okay, sweetie. I won't say anything." He looked up at her, with a mix of surprise and comfort on his face. "Haw, thanks Ro!"

_'Now's as good a time as any to talk about it, I guess.'_

"How long has this been going on?" Ellis couldn't help but become more embarrassed. Rochelle was like his older sister. It's weird talking about this kind of thing at all, let alone with her. "U-uh... well. Tonight. I mean, I've had feelin's for a while now, an' I guess Nick has too."

She smiled. Ellis was like the little brother she never had. It is sweet to see him happy. But she can't help but worry. Nick was a little shady on some things, his love life being one of them. And plus, any of them could die at any moment. Shaking her head to herself, she pushed those thoughts away. They were all going to be fine. She smiled at Ellis. "I'm glad you're happy, sweetheart. Don't let him hurt you. Or I'll hurt him."

Ellis laughed, feeling relieved that Rochelle was so cool about everything. He glanced at Nick, then back at her. "Don't tell him ya know, okay? He'd probably get mad at me..." "I promise." They smiled tenderly at one another, before Ellis got up, walking toward Nick. "I'll take him back to his room so you can go back to sleep, 'kay? G'night, Ro." She said her goodnight back and watched as Ellis picked Nick up, carrying him bridal style. He appeared to struggle at first, which made her worry. Was he injured? She remembered him saying something about a charger... She decided she'd talk to him about that tomorrow. What was important now was going back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Clearly I enjoy the idea that they all call Nick 'Nicholas' at some point and that Ro calls Nick and Ellis 'sweetie' 
> 
> The next chapter should be up around Friday!


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> God damnit, Coach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short filler chapter with some smut in it. It is pretty shitty. I'll make it up to you guys with the next chapter. I'm experiencing some writer's block, but my idea for the next chapter is pretty strong. This is also a pretty short chapter, so I'll make up for that as well. Enjoy the short smut scene!

The shaking of his shoulder stirred Ellis. He blearily looked around, only to find Nick's face peering down at his own. He had sat up, leaning against the headboard, hand limply in his lap. "Morning, sleeping beauty." Ellis grunted quietly as he maneuvered himself into a similar position. "Mornin', Nick."

They sat like that for a short time, not talking at all. It was a comfortable silence. A silence that was only broken by Nick. "How're you feeling, Ace?" Ellis looked at him, confused. "Why're yew askin' me if I'm okay. Yer tha one with tha gashes on yer chest."

He had a point, but Nick didn't really care about his own injuries. He cared about the potential injuries that he gave Ellis. "Well, you're the one who's ass is probably on fire." His cocky smirk prompted Ellis to laugh. "Yeah. It hurts, but I'll live. It ain't terrible. Hell, I can probably walk better than yew!"

A knock on the door halted their banter. "Y'all up? We gotta get movin'." Deciding it was best to not keep Coach waiting, the two men got up to start their day.

They began to move on from the hotel in an effort to get as far as they could before nightfall. New Orleans was a bust(with the bridge being blown up before they made it there) and they pretty much had just been on the move in an attempt to find any safety. They decided to try for Florida, seeing if they could find anything there(although Nick doubted it). They had split off into pairs to look for a car. Not far down the road, Nick and Ellis found one in a Waffle House parking lot.

The Waffle House lot was pretty abandoned, except for a couple of cars. Ellis limped his way toward a Chevy SUV. He pulled the handle, only to find it locked. "Figures." He pulled his elbow back, then pushing full force into the window. Suddenly, the shriek of the alarm pierced the air. "Ahh shit!"   
"Fuck, Ellis!"   
"I didn't know it was gonna sound!"  
"Well, you should've fucking thought about that!"  
"I didn't see you lookin' too concerned!"   
Their argument was cut short by the sound of a horde coming closer. Panicking, the took off toward the door of the restaurant.

Once they were inside, they moved to the back store room. All the had to do was wait out the alarm. Soon enough, the horde would be gone.

How long were they going to have to wait?

Grimacing, Nick helped Ellis push a shelf in front of the door, preventing anything(hopefully) from getting in. If they were quiet, nothing would hear them. "Nick?" _'So much for being quiet.'_ "What?" "Think Coach n' Ro are holed up somewhere, too?" _'I sure as hell hope so.'_ "Yeah." Sensing Nick's anger, Ellis quieted, sitting on a crate in the corner of the room. Nick leaned against the wall, arms crossed. If they were going to be stuck in here, at least they could have some fun... right?

Pushing himself off of the wall, Nick walked toward Ellis. He knew they couldn't repeat last night due to his stitches, but that didn't mean they had to do nothing, either. Ellis looked up, eyes following Nick as he closed the gap between them. He bent down, capturing Ellis' lips with his own. It was softer than he'd expected, but wasn't soft. Ellis stood, not breaking the kiss. He felt a surge of courage, moving with Nick until he had the conman pinned against the wall. The anger was seemingly gone, replaced with lust. Ellis was careful of where his hands moved, not wanting to hurt Nick. They settled on the small of his back, moving lower. He knew what he was going to do. And he hoped Nick would love it.

He separated their lips and began to drop to a kneel on the ground. He'd never given someone a blowjob before, but he knew how to(he may or may not have watched quite the amount of porn in high school). Nick knew where this was going, and he was all for it. He wasn't sure what they were going to do when he started kissing Ellis, but he was glad the latter sure seemed to. Carefully, he unbuckled Nick's belt and unzipped his pants. He slid them down to his mid thigh. Next, he worked on the underwear. He moved slowly, teasingly. Nick groaned. "El." This made Ellis want to rip the underwear off, but he kept going slow.

The lower he pulled the underwear, the more of Nick's cock came into view. It was already stiffening, showing Nick's excitement for what was about to happen. Ellis grabbed Nick's member, pumping slowly. He was unsure how much he could take, which he was sure Nick could tell. _'I don't wanna, like, throw up or nothin'.....'_ He inhaled quietly before wrapping his lips around the head.

He moved slowly, testing to see how much he could take. He got about half in when he gagged. He looked up at Nick with embarrassed eyes. "Don't worry, kid. You're doing great." Ellis never thought he'd get a pep talk while giving a blowjob. There's firsts for everything, he supposed. He pulled back until his mouth was almost off, using his tongue to lightly slide over the slit on the head. Nick gasped, moving his hands through Ellis' hair.

As he adjusted to the member in his mouth, he began to bob his head quicker. He heard Nick's gasps go to quiet moans and he knew he was doing something right. He used his hand to pump what he couldn't take in his mouth(which took a couple tries to get the movement to match his bobs). It wasn't too long before Nick choked out, "F-fuck. I'm gonna-" and his back arched off the wall as his body shuddered with climax. His gripped tightened on Ellis' hair as his head leaned back.

Ellis didn't know what to do as Nick's warm cum filled his mouth. It didn't taste great, but he didn't want to spit it out. So, he swallowed it. Nick looked down at him before pulling his hair lightly, signaling for him to come back up. Ellis stood, and Nick caught his lips once again. "Shit, El. You're good at that. You didn't have to swallow, you know." _'Wish you woulda told me that earlier....but it wasn't too bad.'_ "I didn't mind it. I'm glad I was able to do so well, haha." Nick began to pull up his pants just as they heard movement outside. He quickly buckled his belt and zipped his slacks, not wanting to be caught in the apocalypse with his literal pants down.

They raised their weapons, prepared to fight whatever tried to get through the door. "Nicholas! You an' Ellis in there?" _'God damnit, Coach.'_


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wasn't going to be uploaded today, but I had to apologize for the shitty last chapter.. again, it is shorter, but it is leading up to a long chapter that is full of surprises of all kinds ;) so I apologize for that! But I hope you stay tuned for the next chapter because it'll (hopefully) be a jaw dropper!

"So, which one of you had the bright idea to break into a locked car?" Ellis looked down, shielding his face with the bill of his hat. Coach and Rochelle didn't seem mad, but he still felt guilty. "Sorry, y'all. I was jus' excited tuh see a car that worked." Quick footsteps approached him and a small hand grabbed his shoulder. "No worries, sweetie. The alarm's stopped now, so let's see if you can get it running, yeah?" He looked up, making eye contact with her. She smiled warmly at him, making his guilt lessen. "Okay, yeah!"

Coach turned from his position at the edge of the parking lot and began walking back toward the car. Ellis was hanging out of the driver's side, leaning under the dashboard attempting to hotwire the car. Nick was seated in the back while Rochelle stood by the door, assessing his bandages. "They're looking better, but you have to take things slow. You hear me?" Nick scoffed as he buttoned his still shredded shirt. "Yeah, yeah." They still hadn't found new clothes. They all needed them. Their clothes were stained in blood, guts, vomit, sweat, and god only knows what else. They unanimously decided that the next clothing store they passed was going to be looted.

The sound of the chevy's engine roaring to life brought their attention back to Ellis, who crawled out from under the dash and smiled proudly. "Hell yeah! It's been awhile since I've done that. Not since Keith lost his keys when we went huntin' and his ma wanted him home in an hour!" Coach smiled and patted the boy on the back before he turned to face Rochelle. "We should scout the area and find some last minute supplies to get us to wherever we're goin'. Whatcha say, baby girl?" Rochelle looked at Ellis and Nick for a moment before turning back to Coach. "Yeah. Nick needs to stay put. Ellis can keep him company, though, can't you?" Ellis' ears turned pink as he caught on to the undertone of her statement. "Yeah. We'll be fine here. Don't go too far." "We'll be thirty minutes. No later."

Nick laid back across the seats as he listened to Rochelle and Coach's footsteps fade. Ellis stood outside the car awkwardly. Even with his eyes closed, he could see how uncomfortable the kid was. "What's the matter, Ellis?" _'Is it the fact that you blew me less than ten feet from Coach and Ro'?'_ "Nothin', nothin'. Jus' worried about splittin' up..."

Opening his eyes, Nick moved to sit up. It hurt, but he pretended the pain was gone. He didn't want to bring it up again, not after the scene he'd caused the night before. "Don't worry, El. They'll be fine." Ellis sighed and sat down in the driver's seat. "I know. I can't help but worry, though. Ain't yew worried at all?" _'More than you know.'_ "Yeah, but us worrying doesn't help the situation at all."

"What's on yo' mind, baby girl?" Rochelle blinked, her ponder session interrupted by Coach. "Nothing. Just worrying. Nick's chest doesn't look good at all. We're also almost out of hydrogen peroxide. And if we don't have the proper stuff to clean it..." she trailed off, not wanting to think about what would happen if his chest got infected.

Coach apparently didn't want to think about it either as he changed the topic from Nick to Ellis. "What happened to Ellis? He's been walkin' with a limp all mo'nin'." Rochelle blushed, looking anywhere except for Coach. She couldn't tell him the truth. "He said a charger got him the other day. Maybe that's hurting him." Coach must have believed her lie, as he shrugged and continued walking toward a convenience store down the street.

The store was pretty empty, as they expected. They looked around, hoping to find any sort of medical supplies and food, only to find nothing. Coach was in the back of the store, Rochelle taking the front. _'Sure is quiet...'_ Just as he started to turn around, he heard the cock of a shotgun. Slowly, he turned, coming face to face with the bearded, burly man from before. "Come with me, Stevie Wonderbread. Phil's got the girl."

Thirty minutes passed and Coach and Rochelle had not returned. Ellis had taken to pacing ten minutes after they had left. Nick looked at his watch(which was the only thing letting him know they should've been back already) and sighed. He was worried. Coach was a punctual man, he'd come to find out. If Coach said they were leaving in five minutes then god damn it they were leaving in five minutes whether you were ready or not. He pulled himself out of the car and looked around. "They should've been back already." Hearing this, Ellis' pacing stopped and he looked anxiously at Nick. "Whut? We gotta go make sure they're okay, Nick." As much as he didn't want to believe that the pair weren't okay, he had a sinking feeling that something had happened. _'Damn it, Coach. You two better be alive when we find you or I swear to God...'_

Ellis stepped into the door of the convenience store that he assumed Coach and Rochelle had gone into. Nick followed him, eyes darting through the aisles looking for any signs of their friends. He looked down one of the aisles and stopped. "Shit." Ellis turned on his heels at Nick's cursing, seeing the older man make his way down an aisle. He followed him quickly, gasping as he saw what Nick had.

Nick bent down and picked up the chrome shotgun. It was Rochelle's. Ellis' blue eyes met his green ones in a flustered frenzy. "That's Ro's. Shit. Shit. Shit! Whut're we gonna do? Somethin' happened, Nick. Where'd they go? What if they're hurt? What if-" Nick stopped listening. He was more focused on his own pounding heart. He could feel himself beginning to panic. _'Oh no.'_ He began to breathe heavily, finding it difficult to get air into his lungs. Ellis noticed, grabbing a hold of Nick's shoulders. "Nick, calm down, man. I need ya tuh relax. Yer the logical one here. I can't have yew freakin' out cause then I will." _'I don't want tuh see yew like before..'_

It took all of his focus(and about five minutes) to calm down. Ellis was just as scared as he was. He held onto Nick and refused to let him go until he was certain the conman had calmed. When he did let go, he looked up at him. "Yew got through it. I knew yew would." Nick didn't answer, turning his attention to the store, checking for any clue as to what happened. Nothing.

_'Fuck.'_

Then, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A bandana. He moved toward where it was laying on the floor by the door. He recognized it immediately. Ellis appeared to have, too, as he put a hand over his mouth in shock. "N-Nick...?" Nick crumpled the bandana in his hand and threw it onto the floor. "Fuck!" 


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Clues? What is this, Scooby Doo?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I've been super swamped with essays rn, but the next chap will hopefully be up on Saturday. Enjoy!

Ellis was quiet as Nick paced angrily at the storefront. Neither knew where those bikers could have taken their teammates, but they knew they were in trouble. Nick was sick to his stomach thinking about it.

_'If you weren't fucking hurt you all could've went and this shit wouldn't have happened.'_

He wanted to get his anger at himself out- he needed to. He walked over to the wall and pulled his arm back. _'Good thing I'm ambidextrous.'_

His right fist connected with the brick wall in a dull thud. Ellis just watched silently. He didn't know what to do. He'd seen Nick angry before, but the others were always there to help calm him down. Now, it was just him. As Nick recoiled, doubling over with his fist in his other hand, Ellis approached him slowly with a hand outstretched. "Nick..." Nick didn't move. He only continued growling in anger and pain. Ellis lowered his voice even lower, putting his hand gingerly on Nick's back. "Nick... calm down. Please."

Nick's head snapped up, his green eyes narrowed. He stood and shrugged Ellis' hand off his back and turned around. "Why the hell should I calm down?! Coach and Ro are probably being slaughtered by fuckface bikers all because we had to split up because of me! We'll be lucky if we find them alive; if we find them at all." Ellis tensed. _'He blames himself..'_  
He felt himself getting angry. He was getting angry at Nick. At the bikers. At everything. Before he could stop himself, Ellis began to yell. "Stop it! God damn it, Nick! You blamin' yerself don't help nothin'! We gotta do this together, not apart! So do me a favor and shut up! Let me think! For Gods sake!"

Nick let his shoulders slump. Ellis was right. If they were going to find Coach and Rochelle they were going to have to work together. And arguing was not working together. He couldn't help but chuckle. Upon hearing this, Ellis tried to maintain his anger, but he felt himself laughing as well. "Whut tha hell're yew laughin' at?!" Nick turned around so they were facing each other as they continued to laugh. He gripped Ellis' arm with his, not aching, hand and pulled him close enough to feel his chest shake with each laugh. As he closed the gap between them, he forgot about the pain searing through his other hand.

As their lips connected, Ellis noticed something. He pulled away, Nick's mouth following his own. He looked down the street, squinting to get a better look. "Nick, whut's that over there?" Nick turned, trying to see what the boy did. "What the fuck are you talking about?" Ellis didn't answer; he began walking down toward what he saw. Nick stood where he was, shouting to him. "Ellis! Elli-ahh fuck. Ellis, wait up!" He hurried down the street as fast as his body would allow.

Sure enough, on a fence blocking the road, there was another telltale sign of their friends. There was a purple piece of a polo shirt- Coach's polo shirt. How it got from his shirt to the fence they didn't know, but it was a start.

They sat on opposite sides of the room, tied to kitchen chairs. It was dim, but not dark. The shades were drawn the the light was off, but the light from the early afternoon sun was able to peek through the blinds. There were two men in the center of the room, each holding a shotgun; the shorter one holding a combat knife in his belt.

Coach looked down. His arms were tied behind the chair; his feet tied to legs, making him immobile. There was a torn section on the lower corner of his shirt that happened during the scuffle of the men trying to get him into their van. Rochelle was already in the van when Coach and the stockier man exited the store. The taller man, coined Phil by the other, was waiting beside the van, guarding Rochelle. Coach walked calmly toward the van, but stopped short of getting in, turning around and slugging the shorter man in the nose. He stumbled, and Phil leapt into action. He pinned Coach against the fence, catching the hem of his shirt on the chain link. He saw the man's fist swing backwards, then forwards.

He shuddered at the memory. He could feel the shiner of a black eye on his left eye. There was a dense, awkward silence stifling the air in the room. It was inescapable. He didn't know where they were taken, but even worse: he didn't know where Nick and Ellis were. Surely they'd come to look for the pair after they failed to return, right?

Nick huffed as they walked another block down the street. There were no signs of where Coach and Rochelle were taken. _'Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. Think, Nick. Think.'_ He spared a side glance at Ellis. The boy's face was a cross between worried and confused. "How the hell are we supposed to find out where they went?" Ellis looked at him, then away(presumably in thought), then back to him. "Maybe one of 'em left clues? I dunno... maybe like a trail almost?" Nick snorted. "Clues? What is this, Scooby Doo?" "Well, god damn. I was jus' suggestin'. Jeez."

Ellis walked ahead. He was frustrated. His friends were missing(and in danger), Nick was hurt(and also being an asshole), and he felt like an idiot for not being able to find their friends. He pulled his hat off his head and ran his fingers through his curls. They were still relatively clean from yesterday's shower, which felt nice. Returning his cap to its rightful place, he continued to look around. In all of his concentration, he didn't hear Nick approach beside him.

He laid a hand on Ellis' shoulder. He felt kind of bad for being angry towards him, but he couldn't help it. He was scared. And nervous. He wanted Coach and Rochelle to be okay. He needed them to be. And it was difficult to hold his temper in when they were in such a terrible situation. They stood in silence as they both thought about how to find the others. That's when they heard the engine.

"Robert, we got a problem."

Phil stood in the doorway to the kitchen. Robert had his back to him, focused on their two captives. "What the hell is it now?" Phil scratched at the back of his neck, appearing anxious. "We got a horde comin'. They ain't far off now. Probly got 'bout...I don't know. At least 50 out there." Robert tensed. Rochelle took notice. 'They don't have enough ammo.'   
"Well, we gotta get movin' then. C'mon." Phil looked quizzically at him. "Whut 'bout them?" He gestured to the two. Robert studied them for a moment, then turned to Phil. "Grab biggin ov'r there. I got the girl."

They tried to protest, to loosen their ropes and free themselves. But nothing worked. Robert and Phil and placed them in the middle of the street, bait for the horde. They could hear them approaching. This was the end. The two bikers hopped into either side of the van, the engine roaring to life a moment later. They sped off in the opposite direction of the horde. As the van left their field of view, their eyes locked on one another. They were desperate. _'I'm sorry, baby girl.'_

They began running. Well, Nick was more or less hobbling. They took off down the street, running in the direction that they hoped the engine came from. Where the engine was, meant the car was. The car that most likely had Coach and Rochelle in it.

Coach and Rochelle faced one another; Coach looking into the street and Rochelle looking back toward the house they were put in. She looked at Coach, until something just over his shoulder caught her eye. She squinted to get a better look. On the ground, a foot or so from the door, laid Robert's combat knife _. 'Bingo!'_

She looked at Coach, hope in her eyes. "That guy's knife fell out of his belt. All we have to do is get to it." Coach smiled, then frowned. "But how? Baby girl, if we try to move, we'll mos' likely end up tippin' ourselves." He was right. How could they get that knife? As they contemplated how to get the knife, they saw the commons from their peripheral view. They were coming.

When they turned into the street, they saw them. "Shit!" Coach and Rochelle were tied up in the middle of the road, a horde of commons beginning to come into view. Ellis took off sprinting, trying desperately to get to his friends. Nick tried to keep up, but it was difficult. His lungs were burning, his chest was aching, and his vision was blurring. _'No. Do. Not.'_ He wasn't going to allow himself to pass out. Not in such a dire situation. They needed him. He pushed his way toward his group.

Rochelle caught fast movement out of the corner of her eye. She turned, seeing Ellis in a full sprint toward them. "Oh, thank God! Quick, Ellis, get that knife over there. Hurry!" The commons were aware of their presence now. They began to run towards them. They needed to get to shelter. Somewhere to ride out the horde. They were no where near prepared for 50 commons(god forbid there be any specials).

Nick made it to them just as Ellis was cutting Coach's legs free. The commons were almost upon them, screaming and running. They were panicked; hearts racing, minds fogging. Coach turned and pointed to the house their were previously in. "Inside. NOW!" They bolted for the house, Coach in the back, ensuring that everyone else got in. He slammed the door behind him, bracing it with his body. Ellis and Rochelle hurried, moving the furniture to put in front of the door as a barricade.

The group was silent, no words needed as they blocked off the doors and closed off the windows with the blinds. Coach and Rochelle's guns were left on the table from their kidnappers, and Nick and Ellis had their weapons, but they didn't want to use them. They sat quietly, no one speaking as they sat in the living room waiting for the horde to pass. No one knew how long it would take. They all just hoped that no commons, or specials) attempted to get in.


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nick...in jeans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this chapter! :)

The group sat in silence. No one wanted to break it. They were all too busy listening to the horde outside. Nick took the silence as a blessing. He leaned back in the recliner he’d sat himself in, closing his eyes. He hurt. He was hungry. He was tired.

He heard movement beside him, but didn’t bother to open his eyes. Ellis sat on the end of the couch just beside the recliner. He contemplated speaking to Nick, but decided against it. He didn’t seem in the mood to talk. Ellis couldn’t blame him, really. It was clear that Nick wasn’t doing well. His breathing was quicker than normal and he had an arm cradling his chest gently. If he didn’t properly allow the wound to heal then he’d be in real trouble. They all would. _‘We gotta hole up somewhere... but where?’_

Coach noticed the concentrated look on Ellis’ face and moved to sit next to the boy on the couch. He placed a large hand on the younger’s shoulder. “What’s on yo’ mind, son?” He briefly spared a glance at Nick on the chair and Rochelle in the doorway. Ellis’ eyes met his own, then looked down, hiding his face with the bill of his cap. “Well... I was jus’ thinkin’. Nick needs tuh rest. Tuh stop all tha runnin’ ‘round or he’ll never heal up. Plus, we all could use some rest, don’t y’all think?”

Nick’s eyes opened to a squint as Ellis spoke. He hated being singled out, but at the same time he was glad the boy suggested holding up somewhere. He really could use a break. But his pride kept him from saying anything. He wasn’t inept; he was a grown man that could handle pain. He looked toward Rochelle, who was looking back at him. She was studying him, surveying him. After a minute, she turned her attention to Ellis. “You’re right, sweetie. You’re hurt, too. You both could use a break.” Coach shook his head in agreement. “I ‘gree. Tho’ I think we outta get a bit a distance between us an’ those bikin’ bitches. After this horde passes, we’ll move out an’ look fo’ somewhere a bit more secluded.”

The horde passed agonizingly slowly. Without realizing, Nick managed to doze off. His head lolled to the side as he slumped in the recliner. No one woke him up. They knew he needed rest. Plus, it might put him in a better mood. Coach looked out the window by the door. “Aight y’all. I think it’s mostly done now. We should get movin’. Gotta try to get anotha’ car. The horde is between us an’ our otha’ one.” He turned his attention to Ellis. “Young’n, you come help me check the cars ‘round here. Ro’ll stay wit’ Nick. We won’t leave the street.” Ellis wanted to fight the split up, but he knew Nick needed to stay put. And he was the only one with a mechanic background. So, he was their best bet to find a working vehicle. “Alright. Ro, if Nick wakes up, tell him whut we’re doin. If anything happens, we’ll yell.”

 

  
“How ‘bout that one down there?”

 

The vehicle in question was a dirt and rust covered pick up truck. It was parked along the side of the road almost toward the intersection between two roads about thirty feet away. It was the only car on the road that didn’t look completely immobile. There was a three car pileup on the other end of the road where Nick and Ellis had come from. It appeared the first car stopped and swerved, hitting the second car head on, then a third car failed to stop, colliding with the back of the first car. It was a sad scene, so they didn’t look for long before moving toward the pick up.

Ellis popped the hood of the truck and peered inside. He smiled and turned to Coach. “She’ll run. Jus’ gotta do a lil’ maintenance on ‘er. We could prolly find some tools in one a these garages an’ get her ready ‘fore we get Nick an’ Ro.”

“Aight. Let’s get to it.”

  
Rochelle shook Nick’s shoulder gently. She wasn’t going to wake him, but figured now was a good time to look at his injuries. The way he cradled his chest in his sleep wasn’t a good sign. “Nick. Nick.” Nick opened his eyes slightly, surprised at the dimness of the room. _‘How long was I out?’_ He looked up at his rouser. “Ro?” She laughed lightly. “Yeah. Coach and Ellis are fixing up a car for us. I gotta look at your chest. Okay?” Nick stiffened. His chest hurt. He really didn’t want to look at it, knowing it wouldn’t look good. “Yeah. Whatever.”

He hissed when she pulled his bandages off. She couldn’t help but grimace at the sight. His slashes were beginning to get infected. She could see the angry red skin around them was puffy and sore. They didn’t have any supplies to clean them, either. The bikers had ransacked the house prior to them holding Coach and Rochelle in it, so it was empty. They also used the last of the peroxide the night before, leaving only fresh bandages left. Even then there was only a limited amount. Probably only enough for one more dressing. So she made a mental note for them to stop at the next store they came across.

Nick had looked away, avoiding his chest. He could feel the fever that was developing from the infection. His head felt heavy and light at the same time and his body felt weak. He knew if they didn’t find supplies soon he was going down for the count. He put on a poker face, not wanting to alarm Rochelle. While she dressed his wounds, she said a silent prayer that they’d find more medical supplies soon.

Ellis was practically waist deep into the front end of the Ford pick up when Coach came out of the garage. They had gone into different garages looking for tools. Ellis clearly had found some before Coach as there was a tool box on the ground next to him. Coach returned to the truck empty handed and stood next to Ellis. “What’s wrong wit’ her?” Without looking at Coach, Ellis continued to fuss with the truck. “Nothin’ real major. Jus’ makin’ sure all the fluids are good an’ everythin’s in workin’ order. Seems like she’s perty good.” He lifted his head and wiped his hands on his coveralls. “I think s’bout time tuh get Nick an’ Ro. Gotta get on our way.” Coach smiled. “Look at you, young’n! Gettin’ us a ride an’ makin’ decisions. Aight, let’s go get ‘em.”

When Rochelle finished rewrapping Nick’s chest she went over to the couch and grabbed something off of it. It was a shirt and pants. She tossed them at Nick, gentle enough to not hurt his chest if they hit it. “Found them upstairs when you were asleep. Should fit you and Ellis.” It was then he actually took a look at her. She was still wearing her jeans, but she was wearing a different shirt. It was big on her, pooling around her hips. It was a dark, university style t shirt. “Apparently whoever lived here was a Florida U graduate.”

Nick scoffed as he unfolded the clothes. The shirt was a standard white t shirt. He wasn’t one for dressing down, but it was better than wearing a torn-to-shit shirt. He pulled the soft fabric over his head, grimacing slightly at the way it settled over his bandages. The shirt fit him pretty well, considering it was a random chance to find it. It hugged his arms, but all that did was emphasize his biceps, which he wasn’t opposed to. The jeans, however, were more of a struggle to put on.

First off, he had to tell Rochelle to turn around as she apparently didn’t care that he was going to strip down. (Insert that gif from Road to El Dorado: do you mind? No.) The jeans themselves were an okay fit on him, but not exactly the most comfortable. They fit his legs in length, but were slightly loose in the waist, which he fixed with his own belt. He did not want to get rid of his white suit. He loved that suit! It was the first thing he bought with his divorce settlement money. He knew, though, that it was time. It was dirty and stained beyond salvage. At least these clothes were clean. One thing he was not changing, though, were his shoes. No way. He refused. He could never, ever part with them.

When Ellis entered the living room, he was met with a very pleasant surprise. Nick... in jeans. _‘Whut in the hell...?’_  The way the material hugged his thighs and ass made him look... hot. He was also in a new shirt. It was fitted to his arms, showing how toned they really were. Ellis felt his mouth go dry. Nick seemed to notice the hick’s eyes on him and he smirked to himself. _‘Maybe I should’ve changed weeks ago.’_

Rochelle smiled at the two in the doorway. “Oh, good! Did you get one ready?” Coach smiled warmly at her. “Sho’ did, baby girl. She’s all ready fo’ us.” He turned his attention to Nick. “Nicky, when did ya change outta that dirty suit?” Nick sneered at Coach, although it lacked any serious venom. “Ha ha. Funny.” Rochelle was reminded of something and she turned to Ellis. “I found you some clothes, too. Sorry, Coach. We’ll keep looking for some for you.” Coach laughed. “Don’t worry ‘bout me.”

Ellis had taken the new clothes into the bathroom to change into while the others gathered what little supplies they could find in the house. That wasn’t much. The shirt Rochelle had selected for him was a t shirt with a popular logo on it. He wasn’t much for fashion, so he wasn’t sure what the little bird was supposed to represent, but he didn’t care. The light gray shirt slid over his frame with ease. His shoulders weren’t as broad as Nick’s, so he had a bit more room in the fabric. The pants created a whole other issue. He pulled the jeans up and sighed. They pooled around his feet. Again, Nick was taller than him, fitting into the jeans much better. They fit Ellis in the waist quite well, so that was a plus at least. He pulled his boots on and folded his coveralls and shirt as best as he could(which wasn’t terrible, but was not the best). He was not leaving them behind. He hurried downstairs to where the others were waiting at the entryway.

Coach opened the door and the four shuffled into the street, heading for the truck. Nick sighed in content for being able to go more distance without tiring his body out even more. He looked at Ellis as the boy matched pace with his own. He had is clothes in his hands, unable to part with that yellow shirt as those dirty coveralls. He leaned in, speaking lowly so only Nick could hear. “Those jeans suit yew.” Nick couldn’t help but laugh. The laughter hurt his chest, but he didn’t care. He shook his head and whispered back “They don’t suit you, maybe I should take them off you instead?” Ellis went red as they made it to the truck. Rochelle noticed the boy’s blushed appearance and smiled to herself. Coach noticed as well, and confusion covered his features. “What’s the matter, Ellis?” Nick has trouble controlling himself as Ellis stammered out an excuse for his blush. “Nuthin’ jus’ a little warm is all.”

Coach seemed to be okay with that answer, as he turned and pulled open the driver’s side door and pulled himself into the cab of the truck. There were, luckily, back seats in the truck. The Rochelle opened the passenger side door and pulled the lever to the half door so the back seats were accessible. She was going to climb in the back, but Nick stopped her. “You take shotgun. We’ll take the back.” She nodded as the two climbed in. Nick grunted in pain as he hauled his body into the truck, but didn’t say anything. Once he was in, Rochelle fixed her seat and climbed in for herself. As soon as she was situated, Coach started the engine and pulled the F150 onto the road.


	21. Chapter Twenty-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> nothin’ we can do ‘sides pray

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the absence of a chapter on Weds... I had to deal with an issue that I’m not going to bring up(I’m not in trouble or anything it just was stressful and made it difficult to write this chap.) but here it is! Enjoy!  
> -M

The motion of the truck did nothing to help Nick’s condition. In the time that they’d been driving, he’d began having chills, a headache, muscle aches, and, on top of it all, he was nauseous. He felt like shit. He could feel the bile rising in his throat. He tried breathing through it, but found it extremely difficult. Ellis seemed to notice his ailment as he put a hand on Nick’s thigh. “Y’okay?” This got the attention of Rochelle and Coach, who both turned to look at him(Coach, through the rear view mirror, in increments due to having to focus on the road.) Nick hated being fussed over. Irritated, he pushed Ellis’ hand away. “I’m fine.” It was clear that he was not, however they decided not to push him and left him alone(although they were all paying hyper attention to any sign Nick needed them.)

That sign came about ten minutes later. “Stop.” Coach immediately slammed the break to the floor, propelling them forward in their seats, only being stopped by the belts that Rochelle had made everyone put on. Nick threw the back door open and jumped out. He didn’t make it far before what little food he’d eaten showed itself once more.

No one said anything as they listened to Nick retch beside the truck. Coach had his eyes peeled for any infected, hand gripping the shotgun in between him and Rochelle. Rochelle was looking at her feet, trying to control her own flip-flopping stomach. She didn’t handle sick people well. She would often get sick herself when trying to help someone else that was getting sick. Ellis moved silently over Nick’s seat and hopped out of the truck beside him. Nick was doubled over, hands on his knees. He put his hand on the conman’s back, rubbing it in small, soothing circles. He looked around, making sure there was no danger to the pair. He thought that Nick would have shrugged him away again, but he didn’t.

When he’d finished, Nick stood upright, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. There wasn’t much for him to throw up, so a lot of his heaving was dry and painful. _‘God, I hate puking.’_ He turned to face Ellis, only to have the world spin around him. He faltered. Ellis grabbed his shoulders, steadying him. Nick closed his eyes, trying to reorient himself to no avail. “T-thanks, Ace.” Ellis rubbed Nick’s shoulders as he guided him back into the truck. “Don’t worry ‘bout it.”

Coach looked back at the pair as they got buckled in once more. He observed Nick as he clicked his buckle into place, noting how shaky the younger man was. “You good?” Nick made eye contact with him through the mirror. “Yeah.” His voice was hoarse and quiet. As Coach presses the gas, Nick leaned his head on the window, enjoying the cool feeling of he glass on his fevered forehead. He could feel eyes on him, but he didn’t care. Suddenly, a hand was on his shoulder, pulling him away from the window. He didn’t have the strength to open his eyes as he felt his head being leaned against Ellis’ shoulder. He accepted the softer surface as he began to drift out of consciousness.

“I’m worried about him.” Rochelle’s voice broke the silence. Neither Coach nor Ellis responded. They didn’t need to. They all were worried about Nick. She continued, quiet enough to not disturb the sleeping man. “His chest is infected. If we don’t clean it soon, he’ll only get worse. We need to find alcohol of any kind soon.” Coach glances her way before turning his attention back to the road, swerving slightly to avoid some commons. “Nex’ store we come ‘cross we’ll stop. ‘Til then, ain’t nothin’ we can do ‘sides pray.”

Ellis was quiet. They were right. Nick’s fever was climbing, albeit slowly. With no thermometer, it was impossible to tell his exact temperature, but he was sure it was above 100 degrees. He absentmindedly began playing with Nick’ hair, running his fingers through the black strands. He did his best to soothe the man, noticing his shoulders shaking lightly. _‘If we don’t get him fixed up...’_ He shook his head. Nick would be fine. He just had to hold on a little while longer until they could find something to clean him up with.

The ride was smooth and quiet. Rochelle had dozed off and Ellis was on the edge of sleep when the car suddenly jerked violently to the left. Ellis was immediately put on alert as he looked around. Rochelle and Nick had both been scared awake, too. Coach’s expression was like stone as he spoke to no one in particular. “Sorry, y’all. A common darted out from a car and scared me good. Y’all go back t’sleep.”

There was something different in Coach’s actions as he spoke. Rochelle knew right away that he was lying, but decided to ignore it until they could talk privately. “We should stop for the night, don’t you think? There’s gotta be a house or something around that we can stay in.”

Nick hadn’t said anything since he woke up, deciding on looking out the window with an angered expression. Rochelle eyed him through the rear view mirror. He was paler than usual with a pink hue to his cheeks. There was sweat beaded along his forehead and eyebrow. She sighed to herself. If he wasn’t in serious need of medical attention she’d have poked fun at him for not looking his “very best”.

Coach brought the truck to a stop outside of a small house outside of the city of Jesup, Georgia. It was a single-story house with a lot of yard space. He smiled remorsefully, thinking of the family that had lived there before the infection. _‘Bet they had a nice little family.’_

A hand on his shoulder brought him back to reality. Rochelle was still sat next to him in the truck, but her door was open. “C’mon, Coach. We need to scope the place out. We need to check for supplies so we can get Nick fixed up... and we all could use some sleep.” The way she emphasized the word ‘all’ made Coach realize she had seen through his lie earlier. He had almost fallen asleep at the wheel, but had scared himself awake. Rochelle and Nick were asleep and he didn’t want to bother Ellis(or Nick) with having the boy trade him seats, so he kept driving. He was the leader of their team. It was his job to keep them all safe. He took a deep breath and opened his door.


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hell no. Hell no.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the slow updates. My aunt and uncle lost their home in a fire on Sunday so we have been dealing with the results of that(everyone is okay, thank goodness!) and I have been dealing with essays and crap, but I really wanted to get this chapter up as soon as I could at the quality you deserve. So I am sorry if I haven’t uploaded exactly as promised. But, here is the next chapter! I hope you enjoy!  
> -M.

All things considered, the house was relatively untouched. It appeared that the owners just got up and left when the signs of the infection hit them. _‘Hopefully they got evacuated and are safe...’_

Ellis eyed the room around him. The queen sized bed in the center of the room looked incredibly soft and inviting, but he didn’t want to lay on it in fear of sleeping instead of searching. He was put in charge of searching the house for any infected. As he meandered his way through the rooms, he let his hand rest against his chest. The pain had dulled over the days, but was still there. He hadn’t mentioned it because of everything else that was going on. He didn’t want to be a burden on anyone, plus it wasn’t unbearable or anything. _‘Ain’t nothin’ compared tuh whut Nick’s goin through.’_ He sighed as he headed toward the final room at the end of the hall. Nick. What were they going to do about him? He had to get better, right?

The door creaked open slowly, revealing the small bathroom. It was barely big enough to fit the bathtub, but it somehow worked. Ellis found himself smiling. It reminded him of home. His mother’s house was a small house, quite similar to this one. Even her bathroom was a comparable size. As he stood in the dim bathroom, he felt his eyes watering.

Instinctively, he rubbed them hard with his palms, trying to rub the tears away. “Hell no. Hell no.” He sniffled as he tried to calm himself. He hadn’t thought about his mother in a while. Not since he told the story of that day. His head snapped up when he heard footsteps padding down the hall. They were too heavy to be Rochelle’s and were too slow to be Nick’s, leaving one person: Coach. God, he didn’t want any of them to see him cry, let alone Coach. He sniffed and made an effort to compose himself before the ex-football player made it to the doorway.

Nick leaned against the wooden countertop of the island in the kitchen. Rochelle was in the process of heating up some of their food in a pot over the stove. The stove itself was an older model and cooked with gas. Luckily, there was still gas left, which she managed to get lit thanks to Nick’s matches. Nick didn’t ask what she was cooking, not the least bit interested in eating at all. He just wanted to sleep. To take a load off and relax. He was exhausted. His body hurt. His brain hurt. But he had to wait for Ellis to finish making sure the house was clear. Coach was off somewhere else in the house, but Nick didn’t dwell on where. Instead, he focused on the pattern of flowers on the walls. In his mind, they were quite ugly. They were what appeared to be a stenciled mess of a rose mixed with a carnation. Growling to himself, he closed his eyes. He preferred to look at nothing over the ugly wallpaper.

Coach moved through the house slowly. His knee was flaring up again, giving him a slight limp to his gait. He was concerned at what was taking Ellis so long to search the house. It wasn’t a large house by any means, so why was he not done? Closing in toward the final room, he heard the boy’s southern drawl. “Hell no. Hell no.” Coach stopped. Was there an infected? He was going to move as quick as he could toward the room, until he heard the sniffling. It was clear immediately what was happening; Ellis was crying. Not wanting to embarrass the boy, Coach made his footsteps slow and heavy in order to give him some time to compose himself.

When Coach showed up in the doorway, Ellis had a smile on his face looking as cheerful as ever. He smiled back at him. _‘Boy, you are a damn good kid.’_ “Hey, Coach.” Coach took note of the small bathroom before meeting his gaze with Ellis’. “Clear?” Ellis shook his head once in confirmation, smile growing wider. “Crystal.”

“Thank _God_.”

Nick couldn’t help but audibly sigh in relief when Ellis and Coach reappeared in the doorway, confirming that the house was clear. He didn’t need any more information than that. He was going to find a bed and sleep in it. He pushed himself away from the counter top, wobbling slightly at the sudden movement. He put his hands out the settle himself before he started for the door. “I’m going to sleep.”

His tone left no room for argument, but that didn’t stop the others from trying.   
“Sweetie, you should eat something.”   
“Girl’s got the right idea.”  
“And drink some water.”   
Nick didn’t reply to any of the statements as he made his way down the hall. When he found the bedroom, he ungracefully threw himself on the bed, sinking into the duvet on top. He didn’t bother to reposition himself or cover up as he quickly fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Rochelle poured them all a gracious amount of, now warm, green beans and carrots. It wasn’t the meal of champions, but it was a meal. They emptied their bowls in a fairly quick amount of time, sharing light conversation while doing so. They left Nick’s bowl alone, setting a bottle of water beside it. After he put his own, empty bowl down, Ellis eyed the bowl and bottle. He wanted to take them to the conman, but did not to disturb or anger him. Seeing the boy’s inner battle, Rochelle nudged the bowl toward Ellis with the fingertips. “You should take these in to Nick. He needs to drink something. He’ll get dehydrated. If he’s feeling up to it, he really should eat, too.” Looking at her with thankful eyes, Ellis picked up the bowl in one hand and the bottle in the other and set off for the bedroom.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is a little short. The next one will be longer!   
> -M.


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Faster.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I’ve been stressed with everything that has been going on with my family, but things are on their way to being solved! I’m so sorry that the updates have slowed, but I am trying to bring them back up to speed. It’s a beautiful day outside and I plan on sitting out all day and writing! I hope to actually get multiple chapters written today. That’s about it. So enjoy chapter twenty three!   
> -M.

Coach stood opposite of Rochelle, eyebrows knitted in worry. “Baby girl, you sho’?” He didn’t like what she said, but knew deep down that it was necessary for the survival of the cynic of their team. A sigh escaped her lips as she rubbed her forehead. “Yes, Coach. We need to.”

“Hell nah. No way in hell we’re splittin’ up ‘gain.” Ellis stood in the doorway to the bedroom. Coach and Rochelle had called him into the hall as to not disturb Nick, who still hadn’t woke up. Coach reached out and grabbed Ellis’ shoulder in an attempt to comfort the boy. “Son, we gotta. ‘f we don’t find somethin’ to clean the ‘fection from Nick we gonna lose ‘im. Simple’s that.”

_‘Well that was comforting, Coach.’_

Ellis turned and peered at Nick’s sprawled body on the bed. His face lowered as he turned back toward the others, hidden under the bill of his hat. “Yer right... Jus’... be careful. ‘kay?” Rochelle smiled warmly at him before pulling him into a tight embrace. “We will, sweetie. You keep the place locked up tight.“ She laughed as she pulled away. “We’ll even do a special knock!” Both Ellis and Coach chuckled at her attempt to dissolve the discomfort in the situation. Coach turned to her. “Well, we best get goin’, eh girl?” He turned his attention back to Ellis. “We should only be ‘couple a hours. We are lookin’ for medical supplies, but we ain’t gon’ shy ‘way from other supplies neither.”

As he locked the door behind them, Ellis couldn’t help but worry. He snatched his hat off his head and began to wring it between his fingers, a habit he picked up some time ago. He was too busy pacing in front of the door that he didn’t notice the movement from the bedroom. Nick stepped out into the hallway. He had shed his t shirt, leaving his top half exposed. The bandages had hardened in the area around the infection due to the fluids leaking into them and drying.

When he came into the view of Ellis, he knew something was wrong. Nick was a very observant man. It was part of his job. So, the moment he saw the young mechanic wringing his hat, he knew he wasn’t going to like the situation. “Ellis. Where’d they go?” Ellis swiveled toward Nick from his spot, mid pace. He hadn’t expected the conman to wake any time soon. The sound of his voice, albeit much softer than usual, was enough to send the boy’s nerves on edge, causing him to jump. “Nick! They uh..” Ellis scanned Nick’s features: his face, his body, his bandages. He knew. There was no sense in lying to him. “They went to find somethin’ tuh clean yer chest up with.” Nick stood, unmoving. ‘ _Fucking damnit. Why the fuck does no one listen to me?’_ “El, you know that was a bad idea.”

Ellis expected Nick to be mad. What he hadn’t expected was Nick to be... emotionless. He showed no signs of anger or chastisement. His expression was dead panned as he moved his way to sit on the couch. Ellis watched as Nick settled himself into the cushions. A long sigh escaped the older man as he laid his head against the back of the couch. After a few agonizingly quiet moments, Ellis eased himself onto the couch next to him.

“So, what exactly is our plan?”

“Whatchu mean? We find some rubbin’ alcohol or somethin’ that’ll clear up Nick’s infection.”

“No no..I mean our plan. Where are we headed?”

Coach stopped walking. They never did really talk about why he was taking them south. Even Nick never really questioned it. He guessed everyone had just been too preoccupied with the whole “not dying” thing. If the others told their stories, why hadn’t he? The whole reason he was on his way down to Fort Pierce was his driving force. The reason he hadn’t given up. He took a quiet breath and began to tell his story.

“Well, my daughter lives in Fort Pierce. I talked to her on the day the evacuations started in Savannah. I told her about the infection and she should get her family to an evac center down there. She said she would wait and talk to her husband about it when he got home from work.”

“She’s younger than you; Jus’ turned 24 in August. August 12. Amazing girl. Only one I got.” He laughed, remembering his daughter growing up. “Her name’s Joanne. My princess. She was my only princess, until last year.” His eyes began to get misty, fearing what happened to them. “That’s when she had Emma. Beautiful little thing. Big ol’ brown eyes, little pug nose, beautiful lips. She’s a real cutie. You’d love ‘er.”

Rochelle’s own eyes began to get wet as she realized what Coach was telling her. He was trying to get to his daughter and granddaughter.

“I hadn’t heard from ‘em since I left home to get to the evac at the Vannah. I wanna make sure they got somewhere safe. Plus, Fort Pierce is on the coast. Worse come to worse, we get a boat and sail off shore to avoid these bitches.”

Rochelle could see the worry on Coach’s face. She pulled him into a hug. “Don’t worry. She sounds like a smart girl. I bet she listened to her daddy and took Emma to an evac center and they are being well taken care of. When we get down there we’ll track her down and I’ll be able to meet that sweet little baby.” She knew the chances of them ever being reunited again were slim, but maybe, just maybe, God was watching out for someone.

Coach knew too. He knew he would probably never see his princesses again, but he couldn’t help but hang on to hope and pray they were okay. He hugged Rochelle back, feeling a sense of familiarity in her embrace. He gave a gentle pat on her back as he let go. “Thanks, baby girl. I needed that.” He looked around, thanking the lord for the lack of infected in the street. “C’mon, now. Let’s get lookin’.”

In that moment, it almost felt as if the world wasn’t ending and everyone Ellis knew before the infection was probably dead. He and Nick sat in a comfortable silence on the couch. Ellis had moved closer to Nick, their thighs touching. Nick didn’t move away. Soon enough, Nick opened his eyes and raised his head. Blinking, he stared at Ellis. Blue irises staring back into green ones. Before he could stop himself, Nick spoke softly. “Your eyes are some of the bluest eyes I’ve ever seen, Ace.” The blush that Ellis felt appear on his face was much too great to hide. “G-gee, thanks, Nick.” _‘Gee thanks? What the hell, El. Get it together!’_

Nick felt a laugh bubble in his chest. He began to chuckle, having it turn into a coughing fit moments later. Ellis’ expression turned to worry, but Nick showed him away. When the coughing ceased, he turned back to the hick, smirking. “You know. With Coach and Ro gone...” Ellis guffawed at the blatant flirting. “Nick-!” Nick’s only response was to lean in, capturing Ellis’ mouth on his own.

The kiss went from being soft and gentle to rough and needy quickly. Both men’s hands began to roam one another, desperate for contact. Nick attempted to take dominance over Ellis, pushing his back into the cushions of the couch and trying to get on top of him, but stopped as his chest protested the sudden movement. Their mouths disconnected as Nick inhaled through clenched teeth. Ellis looked up at him, concerned, before moving back into a sitting position. He felt a blush come back to his face as an idea came into his head. _‘Looks like I’m gonna do most a tha work..’_

Ellis stepped off of the couch, Nick’s eyes following him. He grabbed Nick’s legs, pulling him down the length of the couch until he was laying on his back. Nick’s cheeks flushed at the realization of what the boy was planning. As Ellis got back onto the couch, straddling Nick’s waist, he couldn’t help but groan quietly. “God, El. Look at you, taking charge.”

Ellis blushed, giving an awkward laugh. Rather than respond, he reached a hand behind his head, grabbing his shirt and pulling it off, tossing it to the ground. He brought his face down to Nick’s, feeling the conman’s thin lips battling for dominance with his own. Nick’s hands fumbled with the waist of his jeans, looking for the button. When they found it, his fingers worked quickly to undo the button and unzip them, grabbing for the cotton fabric of the underwear underneath. Ellis separated from Nick as he slid his jeans off his hips and legs, kicking them off with a final swing of his foot. He smiled at Nick as he set to work of removing his jeans. He fumbled nervously with the button for a moment before he got them undone. Nick raised his hips in an effort to help the boy pull them down. He didn’t worry about pulling the jeans all the way off of Nick; there wasn’t really a point, as he wouldn’t need to move his legs much.

Nick’s hands immediately reached for Ellis’ chest, pulling him close. His right hand traveled down until it reached Ellis’ groin. Ellis almost yipped in surprise, but managed to contain himself. With a sudden tug, Nick managed to pull Ellis’ underwear down enough to free his growing member. Ellis leaned down, once again capturing Nick’s lips. Lightly trembling hands moved for Nick’s underwear, shaking with nerves and excitement. He toyed with Nick’s waistband, enjoying the frustrated sounds coming from him.

Nick pushed himself up as far as he could, growling. “Don’t tease, El.” Ellis only smiled. He pulled down the compression boxers, freeing Nick from the tent he’d created. Without warning, Nick thrust two fingers deep into the boy. Ellis gasped, surprised. Nick scoffed mockingly. “C’mon, Ace. This ain’t your first rodeo.”

Once Ellis felt ready, he eased Nick’s hand away. With his position on top of Nick, it made it a little difficult for him to get Nick inside. Once he did, he began to bob his body up and down, doing the thrusting for Nick. The groaning from both men got more frequent and intense the more Ellis moved. Then, Nick said something. It was quiet, and Ellis took a minute to process what he had said. When he did, he threw a mental party. “Faster.”

Nick was powerless. As someone who was usually in control, it felt different. He was the one inside of Ellis, but it felt like Ellis was taking care of him; not the other way around. As Ellis moved quicker, he found it harder to hold back. His legs began to tremble. His abdomen began to tighten. His hands(that were gripped around Ellis’ thighs) gripped harder. His climax came in waves, Ellis beginning to slow as he felt Nick finish. He couldn’t take his eyes off of him. The way his forehead and chest were beaded with sweat. The way his back arched and his head leaned back into the couch. The way his eyes screwed shut and his mouth opened slightly. The way his breath came in short pants. The way the warm liquid felt inside of him. They didn’t use protection. They were both too caught up in the moment to even remember the condoms Nick had taken from the convenience store.

Nick began to pump Ellis’ erection, wanting the boy to finish. The sight of Nick finishing was enough to make Ellis close, and that plus the way Nick’s hand moved made Ellis’ orgasm come quickly... and hard. Ellis felt his muscles tighten as he came into Nick’s hand, letting out a moan. Nick had a smirk on his face as he watched the hick finish, enjoying the way he looked.

When they both finished, they sat in silence. Neither had moved positions(Ellis on Nick, Nick still in Ellis) and didn’t know when they would. They were both basking in the feeling of their own, and each other’s, completion. Ellis opened his mouth to say something when there was a loud noise throughout the living room.

*Knock knock knock knock knock. Knock knock*

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m writing the next chapter tomorrow and will hopefully have it up in the beginning of the week!


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Nick!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! In case you didn’t catch the link to the video of the secret knock from the last chapter and want to hear it here is the link! 
> 
> https://youtu.be/JJrCQP5uPB4

_Oh shit._

Ellis jumped up frantically. There was no time to get his clothes on without Coach and Rochelle becoming suspicious of what was taking him so long. Nick got up from the couch and pulled his underwear and pants up quickly, avoiding cleaning himself off to save time. His gaze connected with Ellis’. “Go to the bathroom to change. I’ll say you were using it.” Ellis nodded his head and took off down the hall.

When he heard the door at the end of the hall shut, Nick walked over to the front door and unlocked it, pulling it open quickly. He came face to face with Rochelle and Coach, who were holding supplies. Rochelle looked at him and nearly dropped everything. “Nicholas!” Nick stared at her, confused. He looked at his own body, making sure she wasn’t seeing evidence of their ‘fun’. Nothing. He opened his mouth to ask her to elaborate, but she beat him to it. “Sweetie, your fever must be pretty high. You’re flushed and all sweaty. Go sit on the couch. We found alcohol.” Nick relented, smirking inwardly that she didn’t suspect anything.

Coach shut the door behind them softly as he followed Rochelle into the living room. “Where’s Ellis?” Rochelle looked up at Nick’s expression before she pushed his shoulder to signal him to sit on the sofa. She pulled her book bag off her back and set in next to Nick. “Bathroom.” As if on cue, the bathroom door opened, Ellis emerging out of it. His face lit up when he saw the two, acting as if he had no idea they were back. “Guys!” His feet padded against the wood floor quietly thanks to his socks. When he saw the supplies they hauled in their bags, his face lit up more. “Aww Hell yeah! Did yew-“ Rochelle cut him off as she pulled the plastic bottle out of the bag. “Sure did.” The bottle was square, with a little white cap. The sticker was peeling off at the corner, but was still mostly intact. Ellis studied the bottle. “91%. That should kill tha ‘nfection. Right?” It was Nick who answered this time. “Sure will, kid. It’ll take some time, but it will.”

“OW, GOD DAMN IT RO!”

Ellis had his hands on Nick’s shoulders, holding his torso in place. Rochelle was leaning over Nick, holding a cloth dripping with rubbing alcohol. She gave him a look of disdain at his outburst. “Oh hush. It’s either this or death. So, pick your poison. Literally.” Coach couldn’t hold back his snicker. He was standing behind Rochelle, observing. As she rubbed the cloth over Nick’s cuts, the scabs rubbed with them, causing blood to start flowing. He couldn’t help but feel bad for the man. He knew how infections felt. He also knew what cleaning infections felt like. Neither were pleasant. “Calm down, Nicky. She’s doin’ what’s best.”

Nick didn’t bother to open his clenched eyes or mouth. He just inhaled deeply through his nose, bracing himself for the next round of burning. Nick considered himself a strong man. Hell, he could lift another man(Ellis) with little difficulty and could swing an axe through zombies for hours. But burning(or stinging) was a pain that he could not handle. The feeling of the alcohol sleeping through his wounds; weaving through his muscles. It hurt like hell. The pain brought back some bad memories for him. Memories he hadn’t thought about in years. The cold liquid seering through his skin sent his mind back to years prior.

_Alright, Nick. Quit being a pussy and just do it._

He sat in the bathroom, alone. He was on his way home from the casino when a man attacked him. He didn’t get a good look at him. Before he could even scan the man’s face, he felt the metal pushing through his skin. He fell, hands reaching for his right thigh, desperately searching for the knife’s handle. His first reaction was to pull it out, but the pain stopped him. Instead, he held his breath and pushed himself up, relying heavily on his left leg for support.

He hadn’t seen the knife, meaning he didn’t see how long the blade was. He avoided hospitals, hating the feeling he got when he was in them(and the questions). He managed to find his way home, but was basically in tears when he got there. He slowly made his way to his bathroom. Once there, he grabbed the rubbing alcohol from the medicine cabinet and the needle and thread. He wasn’t a stranger to stitching his own wounds.

In the yellow light of the bathroom, he gauged his situation. The handle appeared to be from a kitchen set, which meant the blade was at least a couple of inches. He grimaced. ‘I liked these slacks.’ Putting his sadness over his pants aside, he reached for the knife.

Timidly, he touched the handle. The slightest pressure sent agonizing waves of pain through his leg. It took multiple tries until he found enough courage to grab the handle.

_Alright, Nick. Quit being a pussy and just do it_.

He took a few, short breaths as he gathered his courage. Quickly, he pulled the knife out of his leg. He barely spared a glance at the metal as he tossed the bloodied kitchen utensil in the sink. He unscrewed the cap off of the bottle of rubbing alcohol and tipped the bottle. The second the cold, clear liquid touched his leg Nick screamed. It felt like his leg was on fire. He gripped the ceramic sink for support as he continued to pour. That was the easy part.

Stitching himself made Nick sick. He covered the needle and thread in the alcohol, which made it burn every time it pierced his skin. The way his skin tugged and pulled and bled as he shoved the needle through it made Nick woozy. He shook his head and continued to work, finding it difficult to steady is shaking hand.

“Nick!”

Nick blinked and looked around, confused. The others were staring worriedly at him. “What?” Ellis’ grip on his shoulders tightened. “Yew were spaced out, man. We’ve been talkin’ tuh yew for a couple minutes now.”   
Nick lowered his gaze to his chest. Rochelle’s small hand was holding the wash cloth to it, waiting. He looked inquisitively back at her, silently asking her to repeat herself. She sighed softly. “I asked you to hold this, sweetie. I have to get the bandages measured out. Luckily though your stitches seem to be healing up good. I mean, they’ll scar horrendously, no doubt. But at least they’ll heal.”

_Very kind of you, Ro._

Ellis looked down at Nick. Even after Rochelle finished patching him up he didn’t seem right. Whatever he was thinking about when they were cleaning him up was clearly a sensitive topic. He decided to ask him later, maybe during watch.

Ellis usually stayed up for at least part of Nick’s watch. It was habit by this point. In the beginning, Ellis didn’t trust Nick to stay with them(or awake) while he was supposed to be on watch. As he learned to trust Nick more, though, he stayed up just to talk to the man. Sometimes Nick was annoyed with him, and showed it, and other times he acted rather passively towards him. Ellis couldn’t exactly explain it, but it was almost as if Nick wore a mask. A mask of anger and cynicism. Like, inside, he was a fragile, broken man who needed comfort and support, but he hid it. Why he hid his feelings, Ellis couldn’t tell. But hopefully one day he would be able to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be longer and up on hopefully Friday! I don’t have school Friday so yayayaya  
> -M


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “M’scared, Coach.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I hope you had a good weekend! My was pretty good, considering everything. I had play practice Thursday and I do Monday too, which is so fun! The next chapter should be up around Wednesday hopefully! Enjoy your week!

Coach leaned his body into the cushion of the recliner with a heaved sigh. It was his turn on watch. Originally, he wasn’t supposed to start watch for another hour, but he knew Nick needed rest more than him. Clearly there was something going on in the gambler’s head, but he couldn’t discern what. Yet. He would try to get him alone to talk to him in private.

A shuffling from the hallway made his head turn. Ellis emerged from one of the bedrooms. His gait was sluggish, an indication that he wasn’t fully awake yet. Coach raised an inquisitive eyebrow as the boy meandered his way into the living room. “Whatchu doin’ up, young’n?” Not answering, Ellis sat down on the couch closest to Coach. The boy’s eyes were red-rimmed and his cheeks were wet.  
“M’scared, Coach.”

_What?_

Coach leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, hands on his chin. “Scared a what?” There was a long pause. “We ain’t gonna make it.” As the words slipped passed his lips, Ellis began to cry once more. It was apparent that he was ashamed, hiding his face in his hands. Coach stood from his spot in the recliner(knee protesting as he did so, but he remained quiet) and moved to sit next to the boy on the couch. He placed a hand on Ellis’ shoulder in a comforting gesture.  
“What brought this on, boy? You s’posed to be our pos’tive one.”

At that, he only began to cry harder, borderline sobbing as he leaned into Coach, looking for any kind of comfort. “J-jus....every-thin’ th-tha’s been ha-pennin’.” He became more and more incomprehensible in his speech as he spoke, leading to Coach shushing him quietly.

“Shh. Ellis, there ain’t no need for ya to feel like we ain’t gon’ make it. All’f us are strong. Smart. Capable. This ‘cause a Nick?” The silence told him he was right. He sighed and pulled the boy closer into his grasp. “Listen to me, Ellis. Nick is a strong man. A pain in the ass, annoying, arrogant, strong man. He won’t let no bitch be the end of him. Trust me. His pride’s to big for that.”

That got a snot filled, airy laugh out of the boy. “Y-yer right.” Coach chuckled to himself as he allowed Ellis to cry into his shoulder. “Y’know, this reminds me a the time my daughter’s boyfriend broke up wit her.” Ellis lifted his head, face redder than before thanks to the embarrassment. Still, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. “Daughter?” Coach smiled solemnly. “Yup. Lived down in Florida. Heard she was doin’ all right.”

It surprised him how easy the lie rolled off his tongue. He didn’t want Ellis to worry anymore than he already was. Ellis smiled. “M’glad tuh hear that. Maybe we can meet up with her!”  
“Hopefully.”

It seemed that Ellis had cried himself out. His cheeks were stained and red, but no new tears fell. “Go on back to sleep. You on last shift t’night. Ain’t got but a coupl’a more hours. Gotta get Ro up for her shift in a few.” Ellis shook his head as he stood up and began back to the bedroom. He was quiet until he reached for the door handle. “Coach?” Coach turned his head to look at him. Knowing what he was going to say, Coach smiled. “I won’t say nothin’, young’n. Goodnight.” Ellis smiled as he twisted the knob and opened the door.

“G’night, Coach.”

Ellis quietly closed the door and let go of the doorknob. He lifted his shirt and wiped his face with it. He walked quietly over to the bed, where Nick was currently passed out in. Looking at him through the darkness, Ellis eased himself onto the mattress, pulling the covers up to his waist. Nick was laying on his back, a hand lying close to his bandaged chest. His expression was content, very dissimilar to that of conscious Nick.

_Heh. He’s cute when he’s sleepin’._

He felt the blush before he even finished his thought. The more he tried to deny it, the more he couldn’t. There was something about Nick. Something that pulled Ellis in. Something more than physical. Something emotional. He couldn’t put his finger on what it was, though. He really didn’t like Nick all that much when they met(not that he’d ever admit that, though.) Nick was a rude, cynical, arrogant northerner. A real yankee. He made Ellis feel stupid just because of where he lived. What he liked. How he talked. What he wore. That soon changed.

Well, not totally. Nick still did insult him, quite often actually. But now, there was much less malice. It was more in a joking manner. The more he talks to Nick, the more of a connection they make, the more he feels that he knows Nick. The real Nick; not the Nick that Nick pretends to be. The Nick that needs love and support like everyone else. The Nick that has a broken and fucked up past that he resents. The Nick that likes Ellis. The Nick that needs Ellis.

As he felt himself drift from consciousness, Ellis felt the mattress shift beside him as Nick changed positions. He felt a hand wrap around his midsection and pull him close. As he allowed himself to be pulled, he heard the almost incoherent mumbling of sleeping Nick. “Mmmm..El..”

Ellis fell asleep with a smile on his face.

The next time Ellis opened his eyes, he was alone. It was still dark in the room, making it hard to discern what time it was. He got up slowly and walked to the door. He opened the door and peered down the hall. Nothing. Stepping into the hallway, he decided to try the kitchen first.

The kitchen was relatively small. It had an island in the middle that functioned as the counter space. The sink, oven, and fridge/freezer were all in a consecutive line against the wall with little counter space between them. The four-person table was toward the corner, next to a glass door leading to a small back yard. The door was cracked, which set Ellis on edge.

He walked over, slowly. His heart was pounding in his chest. As the sight of the yard came into view through the door, the pounding settled. Rochelle and Nick sat in some chairs in the yard, Rochelle with a bottle of water in her hands and Nick with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. She had a smile on her face as Nick spoke, making Ellis smile too. He yanked the door open lightly and stepped out into the warm Georgia night air. “Hey, y’all.” 


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Cassiopeia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SORRY FOR THE DELAY!!! I had a five page paper due and the revision is due this Friday so I was swamped! Plus I had a busy weekend. After my revision is due the length will pick back up(sorry it’s shorter!) enjoy!  
> -M

When Nick woke up, he was immediately put on edge. He couldn’t place why, though. He tried to move, only to find something, _someone_ , inhibiting that. He turned his head and found a face full of brown curls. Ellis’ hat was placed on the pillow above his head, as if he fell asleep with it on and it fell off. Part of Nick wanted to do nothing more than nuzzle back into the boy, but Mother Nature had other things in mind.

Walking to the door was a challenge in the dark, but Nick’s eyes adjusted enough to allow him to get there without too much difficulty. He opened the door and walked out quietly.

His bathroom experience was rather uneventful, until he opened the door to leave. The house was silent, except for something he couldn’t make out at first. It was quiet, and his ears strained to hear it. When he did, his expression turned even more confused. It was Rochelle. But, what was she doing? He could hear her voice, but no one else’s. So she wasn’t talking to anyone...or was she?

Nick followed her voice to the kitchen, where Rochelle sat alone at the table, the only light source being that of the microwave above the stove. He stood in the doorway for a minute, discerning what she was saying. “If only I stayed like he wanted I wouldn’t be in this mess and he’d be okay.” Deciding he should step in before she got upset, Nick moved forward, his hard soles of his shoes clicking softly against the linoleum floor. Rochelle jumped and whirled around to see who was there. When she saw him, she sighed audibly and placed a hand on her chest. “Nick, Jesus! You scared the hell out of me! Don’t do that again.”

He didn’t say anything as he continued to walk through the kitchen and sit in the chair opposite of her at the small table. Easing into the chair, Nick’s gaze met Rochelle’s in the dim light. “Who’s he?”

_Great. He heard_.

She lowered her eyes until they were looking at the pattern on the floor. “John. My boyfriend. Well, not quite.” When she quieted, Nick gave an affirming nod to signify that he knew what she meant-and to continue. “He was my camera man. Until I had to come down south for segments about the infection. He denied the offer to come, not wanting to leave home in case his family got sick. I got a call the day my plane landed saying he wasn’t feeling well, but he still wished me luck for my story.” She inhaled shakily and continued. “That was the last I heard from him.”

Nick’s expression changed from confusion to sympathy, which Rochelle wasn’t sure if she was imagining or not. He stood up and walked over to her, reaching a hand out. “I’m sorry, Ro...whatd’ya say we go outside so I can have a smoke and not get smoked?” She laughed, thankful Nick was not prying. She took his hand with her left hand, using her right to grab a bottle of water she had on the table.

The yard was relatively small, with a fence surrounding the perimeter. They took seats around a small, brick fire pit. Nick pulled out his pack of cigarettes. Marlboro’s weren’t his favorite, but it was nicotine.

As he lit one, he leaned back, looking at the sky. After a long silence, he spoke. “Can’t see stars in Vegas.” Rochelle’s eyes drifted upwards, gaze landing on a particular constellation. As if Nick could sense her curiosity, he answered her silent question. “Cassiopeia.” Her brows knitted in confusion as she looked at him, still focused on the sky. He took a drag off his cigarette, shrugging. “Considered becoming an astronomer.”

Rochelle was dumbfounded. Nick, an astronomer? It was weird to think about him having any other career goals than bank robber or master conman. Then, she began laughing. Nick looked back at her, malice in his face. “What? I haven’t always been a conman.” As she laughed, his expression softened, and he even began to chuckle as well. In between breaths, she tried to defend herself. “It’s just...so weird!” Rochelle continued to smile when they heard the sliding glass door open and a certain southern accent filled the air. “Hey, y’all.”

Rochelle’s head turned to face him as he crossed the yard to where she and Nick were seated. “Hey, sweetie. Up already?” Ellis smiled sheepishly as he pulled a chair closer to the pair and plopped down into it. “Yeah, jus’ not tired anymore, I guess.” Nick took a deep drag off his cigarette, enjoying the burn in his lungs for a moment before blowing smoke out of his mouth. “Same here, kid.” It was then that a squeal caught their attention.

Their ears perked and all three were in high alert. Nick stood, reaching for his holster on his leg. “Spitter.” Rochelle began to stand, looking anxiously to the glass door. “We should get back insi-“ She was cut short by a bullet whizzing through the yard, piercing the fence. A distorted, wet scream followed; the maker apparently being hit. Nick’s eyes hooded slightly and a smirk formed on his face. “Take that, bitch.”

Rochelle and Ellis were surprised. Neither had even seen the spitter before Nick had taken her down. Ellis’ senses returned as he leaped up and patted Nick’s shoulder. “Ho-ly, shit! Nick, that was cool as hell, man! We didn’t even see her and yuh done killed her!” Nick didn’t answer as he took another drag, while relaxing back into his chair.

 


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY LOVES! Sorry about the delay last week was CRAZY. I also had some writer’s block, but I had an epiphany for the next few chaps. The next couple will also be longer, so be ready! <3
> 
> ALSO, the Song House Party by Sam Hunt is used in here. I do not own the song, just love it.

“What are the plans for today, big guy?” Coach opened his eyes to see Nick standing in the center of the living room. He shut his eyes again. “Not a thing, Nicholas.” Catching the hint that Coach was done talking, Nick turned and walked down the hall. His original destination was the kitchen, where Rochelle was making food, but that changed when he walked past the bathroom. He could hear the shower running, but what caught his attention was the singing. It was Ellis.

Now, Nick already knew Ellis liked to sing, but it was like he’d gotten better every time he did. Nick looked down the hall in both directions; from the kitchen and living room where the others were the bathroom hall couldn’t be seen unless you were moving to go to it. So that meant that they could not see what door Nick went in to. Feeling mischievous, Nick quietly turned to door knob. He was worried it would be locked, but it wasn’t. He spared one last glance down the hall as he slipped into the bathroom.

Ellis couldn’t help himself. Every time he got into the shower he had to sing. It was the perfect time and place. As he felt the hot water cascade down his spine, he started singing that familiar song.

_You’re on the couch_   
_Blowing up my phone_   
_You don’t wanna come out_   
_But you don’t wanna be alone_   
_It don’t take but two_   
_To have a little soirée_   
_If your in the mood_   
_Sit tight right where you are babe_

Nick leaned against the sink, listening. He wasn’t a fan of country music, but if that voice sang them like that, he could make some exceptions. How did he not hear the door open?

_Cuz I’ll be at your door in ten minutes_   
_Whatever you got on girl stay in it_   
_You ain’t gotta leave the house to have a good time_   
_Imma bring the good time home to you_

_We’ll have a house party_  
 _We don’t need nobody_  
 _Turn that tv off_  
 _Break that boom box out_  
 _We’ll wake up all the neighbors_   
‘ _Til the whole block hates us_  
 _And the cops show up_  
 _Tryna shut us down_

_If you gonna be a home body_   
_Then we gonna have a house party_   
_If you gonna be a home body_   
_Then we gonna have a house party_

Before the next verse could start, Nick clapped, effectively scaring the hell out of Ellis. Before the latter could stop himself, he let out yelp and whipped his head out of the shower, holding the curtain. He visibly relaxed when he saw Nick. “Aw, Hell. Nick, don’t do that!” Nick didn’t answer, laughing instead.

After he calmed, he smirked at the boy. “Sorry to scare you, sport. Heard you’re angelic voice from the hall and came in lookin’ for heaven.” Now it was Ellis’ turn to laugh. Nick joined him, laughing at his own joke. As their laughter died down, Ellis’ eyes caught Nick’s. “Wanna... join me? Jus’ got in before yew came in, so there’s still a lot of hot water left.” For a moment, Nick’s mind went blank. Ellis had never been so straightforward. “Did you even have to ask?”

Cooking was not as easy as it was before the infection. There was no meat to use, no dairy. Just canned goods. Well, that’s not true. There still was good food, but most of it in the fridge had spoiled. However, luck seemed to be on Rochelle’s side. She dug through the cupboards looking for anything other than canned potatoes and green beans. She felt she was out of luck, until she opened the last cupboard. In the back of the cupboard was a box of instant pancake mix. It was like there was a god.

“Hell yes!”

The stove ticked a few times, in need of a light. She sighed, agitated. The now mixed batter sat in a bowl on the counter, waiting to be baked into a beautiful breakfast. She didn’t have to ponder where to find a light long. She knew just the smoker to get it from.

She started down the hallway. She was going to check in the bedroom for Nick, but something caught her attention before she reached the door. As she stood outside the bathroom door, she felt her face go bright red.

“Nnnnnniiiiick, oh mah gawd.”

She decided to ask Nick for a match later.

The water beating against Nick’s back felt almost as good as the mouth that was on his. His mind went blank, being overflowed with thoughts of a certain shaking Savannahite in front of him. Grunts of pleasure escaped him, all efforts to remain silent thwarted.

It was clear that Ellis was having a hard time keeping the volume down as well, considering the fact that he was doing a shit job at it. Almost every time he would moan Nick would have to shush him; to remind him that the walls weren’t that thick and they weren’t alone.

“Niiiiick... I’m c-close...” Nick had snaked a hand around to Ellis’ stiff shaft, using the water of the shower as a lubricant. His whole body was shaking; his muscles contracting around Nick. The more they contracted the faster Nick went. He wanted to finish with Ellis. He wanted them both to feel the orgasmic waves of pleasure simultaneously. He felt his own muscles tighten, feeling the pressure building. They were both on the brink of completion.

With a final thrust, both the men were sent into pleasurable spasms, unable to control their muscles. Ellis’ head leaned back, and Nick caught those plump lips in his own. He slowed thrusts until he was still, waiting to remove himself from Ellis. Neither man said a word, just basked in the feeling of what they had done.

“I should get out now.” For a moment, Ellis had forgotten where he even was. He was still trying to recover from everything he was feeling.

_Man, I’ll be hurtin’ later.._

“Yeah, they might be gettin’ curious.” He opened his eyes, taking in Nick’s features. The way the water droplets beaded over his skin made him look... beautiful. It was weird for Ellis to think of another man as beautiful, but that’s exactly what he thought of Nick. With a final kiss, Nick pulled the shower curtain back and stepped out of the tub.

After he finished getting dressed, Nick quietly opened the bathroom door. Stepping out into the hallway, he felt a wave of relief wash over him. The hallway was empty. Or so it seemed. Turning around to head to the kitchen caused Nick to run smack dab into Rochelle. “Jesus, Ro!” Stabilizing himself, Nick caught a glimpse at her face. Was she blushing? “Sorry, do you have any matches?” “Yeah.”

Maybe she’s avoiding the whole thing

“So... what were you doing in the bathroom?”

_Shit_.

“Taking a piss. What‘s it to ya, Nosey Nelly?” Rochelle looked at him from her place in front of the stove, in the midst of cooking the pancakes. “Your hair is wet.” Nick felt himself panic. What could he say? What should he say? What would she say? He felt anger bubbling in his chest as he tried to think of something to say. Rochelle seemed to beat him to the punch. “I already know sweetie. Your secret is safe with me.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I’m so sorry for the delay. And also for any spelling errors that are in here. I’ll try to get the next chapt. up this weekend!!!!!!


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “There was a dog.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Some revelations in this chapter! Also, I’ve got a couple chapters planned out so hopefully I can get them up pretty quickly! Enjoy

Ellis emerged from the bathroom rubbing his wet hair with a towel. Rochelle was able to find some sweatpants in the bedroom, but no underwear or shirt that would fit him. Nervous the pants would slip off, he was sure to double knot them.

When he entered the living room, Ellis found Coach and Rochelle. Rochelle was crouched beside the tv stand looking through some DVDs, while Coach stood behind her. She held up a movie that made Coach chuckle. “Zombie land? Baby girl, we live in Zombie land!” He smiled and joined them, sinking down to his knees next to Rochelle. He dug around for a minute and pulled out a case and held it up for the others to see. They glanced at each other and smiled.

Nick stood in the backyard, alone. He held a cigarette in his hand, thumbing the filter before putting it to his lips. As he felt the familiar burn of the smoke in his lungs, he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He didn’t have time to reach for his gun when the object came into view. When it did, he relaxed.

A dog? They hadn’t seen any animals-live ones anyway. He studied the dog for a moment. Nothing appeared to be wrong with it. Moving down into a squat, Nick held out his hand. Cautiously, the dog moved toward it. Sniffing his hand, the dog immediately tensed and bared its teeth. He left his hand out, trying to get the dog to relax. He opened his mouth to call for the dog. It was then that is growled.

_What the fuck?_

He tried to get the dog to relax, but to no avail. As soon as he took a step closer, it whimpered and took off. He remained crouched for a minute, confused. The dog smelled him and got scared. He was just in the shower, so he didn’t smell like the dead anymore. So, what did it smell?

The confused thoughts didn’t leave his mind as he stood and dropped the cigarette butt on the ground, stomping it out with his foot. He walked back into the house and came face to face with Ellis. Ellis noticed his confusion and his expression turned to match. “Ya ok?” Nick nodded, avoiding eye contact. “We’ll talk later.” Ellis clearly didn’t like that answer, but he let it slide. A smile returned to his face as he grabbed Nick’s arm. “The DVD player works!”

The four of them were seated in the living room, Coach on the recliner, with the other three on the couch, Ellis in the middle. Ellis wouldn’t tell Nick what movie they chose, just that he would like it. As the opening credit sequence started, Nick felt himself smirking. How did Ellis know he liked the Outsiders?

If he hadn’t known any better, Nick would’ve guessed this was just a typical night with friends, watching movies. But he did know better, and he knew that it was anything but typical. As the credits rolled, he spared a glance at the others. Coach had dozed off about halfway through the movie(interrupting it with snores), Rochelle was curled up into the arm of the couch, and Ellis was passed out with his head leaned on Nick’s shoulder.

_Looks like I’m on first watch then._

With everyone else asleep, it was painfully quiet. So quiet that Nick could hear his own heartbeat. _Thu-thump. Thu-thump._ It was rhythmic, and would’ve soothed his mind had he not been thinking about the dog. It thought he was bad in some way, but how? It was like it knew something wasn’t right. Frustrated, he rose from his spot(careful to not wake Ellis, mind you) and walked down the hall.

He flicked on the light switch and stepped into the yellow-lit bathroom. He turned on the faucet and splashed water onto his face. He grabbed for the hand towel on the wall and brought it up to his eyes. As he covered his face with the towel, he got the feeling that he wasn’t alone. When he removed the towel and opened his eyes, he found himself to be the only body in the bathroom. The revelation didn’t calm him, though. In fact, it did the opposite.

His breathing quickened as he felt the familiar panic building in his chest. Why? He couldn’t tell. His heart beat faster and faster. Thu-thump. _Thu-thump. Thu-thump_. Growing louder and stronger, taking over his mind until that was all he could hear. He closed his eyes, desperately searching for something to calm himself. Then, it was there. He was there.

Two arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling him close. It didn’t take any time for him to know who it was. Ellis. His muscular arms, his toned chest, his soft hair. For once, Nick allowed himself to be comforted. He didn’t shy away. He didn’t get angry. He allowed Ellis to help him. It was moments like this that Ellis cherished.

“S’alright, Nick. I’m here.”

They stayed like that for a while. Both had lost track of time. When he calmed enough, Nick pulled away, somewhat embarrassed. Ellis’ hands still remained on his shoulders as they peered into each other’s eyes. After a few seconds of silence, Ellis whispered. “This about earlier?” Nick said nothing, telling Ellis the answer. He sighed, blue eyes scanning the gambler’s rugged features. He hadn’t shaved, causing black stubble to appear on his face, giving him a more ‘manly’ appearance. There was also a cut on his forehead that was slow in healing, but was nearly gone now, only a scar left in its place. Ellis sighed inwardly as he averted his gaze to the wall behind Nick. He doubted that the older man would talk. He had a habit of bottling things up. Keeping them in.

“There was a dog.”

_Whut?_

Ellis was royally confused. “A dog?” Nick sighed, seemingly agitated. “Yes, El. A dog. I went to pet it and it..it _smelled me_. Then got scared.” Ellis opened his mouth, but Nick put a hand up, successfully stopping him. “I know what you’re thinking. ‘We ain’t smellin’ too hot’ well, this was just after our..uh..shower. So, relatively clean. It smelled my hand and acted like it smelled..a _predator_. You know? Then, when I stepped closer to it, it took off. It ran. Like I was going to hurt it or something.” He was hinting at something, but Ellis couldn’t tell what. When Nick answered his silent question, he did not like the answer.

“Like I was one of _them_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oooooohhh heck


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If I’m walking through this shithole there better be fucking whiskey here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay! Enjoy!

When Rochelle woke up, she instantly knew something had happened. Nick and Coach were speaking in hushed tones while Ellis sat quietly by, listening. She sat up and three heads turned to look at her. “What’s going on?”

Nick was next to her, eyes boring holes into her own. “Did you ever hear about carriers when the stories were being produced by your station?” _What? Why would that matter?_ “I mean, yeah, but why would tha-“ “See? I fucking told you.” Coach’s booming voice interjected. “Now, hold on there, Nick, we ain’t sure.” _Sure of what?_ “Will somebody _please_ tell me what’s going on?!”

It was Ellis’ turn. He didn’t move from his spot on the couch. He told the whole story of the dog incident and his and Nick’s conversation the night before(although, he omitted the parts about the panicking and the hugging.) Rochelle listened intently, processing everything. Slowly, as if scared, she spoke. “So... you think we’re carriers?” Nick nodded. “But, how? On the news, we were only told of carriers having the symptoms of the flu.” Coach’s eyes met hers as he began to explain. “I wasn’t just a coach, baby girl. I was also the health teacher. There’s such a thing as an asymptomatic carrier. They’re people who seem immune, but still transmit the disease.”

For once, Ellis was quiet. He didn’t partake in the conversation of being carriers. His mind was already occupied. He couldn’t shake the thought of being the potential reason that his loved ones had caught the flu. There was one memory that stuck out more than others.

“Ya know, I had dinner at mama’s the night before she got sick. We were eatin’ an’ laughin’ an’ overall havin’ a ball. At one point, she took a sip a muh beer, claimin’ it tasted different. Some time that night she turned.”

Ellis’ story had stunned the others into silence. What shocked them even more, however, was the poker face and monotone voice that he told it with. He was void of all emotion. Like he didn’t know what to feel. Rochelle moved next to him and put her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. “Sweetie, she probably had already came into contact with someone that was infected before that.” All Ellis did was shrug.

“Nicholas, let’s go talk in the hall.” Wordlessly, Nick followed Coach. Ellis had hugged Rochelle back, and the two were still in a tight embrace on the sofa. Coach’s eyes lingered on them a moment before turning back to Nick. “Didn’t wanna bring this up in front a them, but we ain’t got anymo’ water.” Nick’s face paled. “What? How the fuck are we out already?” Coach shrugged and raised a hand to scratch at his head. “Don’t know, but I do know that we gotta get some mo’ or we ain’t gonna last much longer.” _Fuck me._ “Alright. Those two stay here. Let’s go.”

“No. No way!” Rochelle had her arms raised in offense as she approached Coach. “With your knee you can’t be walking too much. You’ll hurt it even more!” Nick stepped between them, separating the two. “Ro, relax. Watch a movie or something with hayseed over there and you’ll forget we even left.” Ellis’ face turned slightly sour at the derogatory nickname, but he stayed quiet. Angrily, Rochelle huffed and plopped down onto the couch. “Fine. Two hours. That’s all you get before we come looking.”

The street was eerily quiet. The common had all been previously killed off by the group on their way in to town. The truck engine seemed deafening against the silence. No words were exchanged between the two; none were needed. Their main objective was to find a store, whether it be a convenience store or a full-blown grocery store. It didn’t really matter as long as they found drinkable water.

“Got any siblings, Nicky?” What? Random, but okay. “Nope.” Coach laughed. “I could tell; Only children are generally stubborn as hell.” Nick would’ve sneered and made some snide remark had a storefront came into view. The yellow crown sign hung high, proudly displaying the company name. Coach pushes the pedal down harder. “A gas station? Hell yeah, now we talkin’!”

The inside of the gas station was like something out of a horror movie. There was blood smeared all over the floor, mixed with other bodily fluids. Snack cakes and cans were strewn about everywhere. As soon as he stepped in, Coach stepped back out. “Nuh uh. No way. Can’t do that. I’ll lose what little lunch we’ve had.” _Guess that leaves me, then_. Nick looked at the door, then back to Coach with a grimace. “You owe me. Big time.”

Nick walked into the gas station with a hand over his mouth and nose. Even that wasn’t enough, as the smell of vomit and copper filled his nostrils. The smell was enough to make him gag, but the sight is what made him heave. He vowed to be no longer than five minutes in searching the place. _If I’m walking through this shithole there better be fucking whiskey here._

He scanned the aisles quickly, deciding he’d rather stick to canned vegetables rather than eat the packaged cakes that contained no nutritional value. Stepping over a pile of something dark, he saw the coolers. They were standard gas station coolers, containing things like milk and juice. But what really caught his eye was the other gallons. There were A couple gallons of purified water that appeared to be untouched. Opening the glass door, the smell of spoiled milk added to the grotesque atmosphere. By this point, Nick couldn’t smell anything, which is one of the best things his body could have ever done for him. There was only one thing left on his list. And he was determined to find it.

Coach was leaning against the truck with his shotgun at the ready when Nick came hurrying out the door. In his hands he held two gallon jugs of water and a bottle of alcohol. Coach cocked an eyebrow at the gambler. “Seriously?” Nick just smiled. “Hell yes.”


	30. Chapter Thirty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Not now, El. Not when he’s like this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Happy thanksgiving! I’m gonna try to have the next chapter up on Monday! Enjoy this chapter! It’s a bit of a long one

The movie plot was just reaching its climax as the sound of a truck engine came within earshot. Ellis and Rochelle glanced at one another and returned their focus onto the television, awaiting the secret knock.

Coach turned the ignition off and pulled out the keys before shoving them into his back pocket. Nick had started drinking his alcohol before they had even left the store parking lot, and he seemed to have a slight buzz. His expression had softened, albeit only a minuscule amount. Still, Coach could tell. They both grabbed a gallon of water and got out of the truck.

Nick got out rather quickly, beginning his walk along the gravel driveway. Coach, however, took a more careful approach. He was sure to put his good leg put first in order to take the brunt of his weight. His knee was hurting him, but he said nothing. The pain wasn’t insurmountable and he was a big boy. So, he could take it. For now.

The knocking on the door was fast and harsh. Undoubtedly the gambler. Ellis jumped up and scurried toward the door. As soon as he opened it, his eyebrows knitted and his plump lips drew taught. “Nick... are yew drunk?” Nick laughed as he stalked his way over to the chair, setting the water jug on the coffee table as he passed it. “Not yet, kid. Not yet.”

Coach has followed in after him and followed his example of putting the jug down and having a seat. He sat on the couch next to Rochelle, who leaned her head on his shoulder in a caring manner. “I’m glad you two made it back safe. Did you have any trouble?” Coach put his arm around her in a half hug as he smiled. “Nah. Mos’ we had was gettin’ in the sto’. It was disgustin’! Had blood n’ guts n’ god only knows what else smeared and splattered everywhere. I couldn’t stomach it. So I sent Nicky here in. ‘S you can see, he got himself a lil’ reward.” A short, nasally laugh came from the conman as he took another swig from the bottle. “Hell yeah I did.”

The rest of the movie played out significantly uneventfully. Once it had finished, Rochelle stood, stretching as she did so. “You guys hungry? I’m gonna heat us up some food.” As she left, Ellis stood and moved to where Nick sat. Coach has dozed off in the recliner chair across the room sometime soon after they had came back. The closer he got to Nick, the more he could smell the whiskey. “Hot damn, Nick. Yuh better slow down. Yer gonna have one hell of a hangover.” Nick didn’t respond as his eyes met Ellis’. Ellis looked concerned, but he couldn’t quite tell why.

He tried reaching for the bottle, but Nick swatted his hand away. “Leave my whiskey ‘lone.” Ellis sighed as he reached his hand out again. “‘M not tryna take it away, man. Relax. I want a drink.” _Oh_. “Here.” Ellis’ eyes softened as he grabbed the bottle and took a drink. Something was off about Nick. Maybe just because of the booze... As he opened his mouth to say something, Rochelle’s voice echoed down the hall. “How’s tomato soup sound?”

When Rochelle announced that the soup was warmed, Ellis got up and went over to Coach, shaking his shoulder lightly. “Coach. Coach!” Coach’s eyes cracked open and he glared at him. “What?” Ellis couldn’t help but chuckle at the big man’s sleepy state. “Ro said dinner’s ready. Tomato soup.” Hearing the information that there was food waiting, Coach eagerly stood and made his way to the kitchen. Nick was also amidst the getting up process, but he was not very balanced on his feet. He had been drinking the alcohol at a pretty steady rate, but Ellis hadn’t realized how much of it he had drank until then. About half of the bottle was gone! He was at Nick’s side, taking the bottle out of his hand and setting it on the coffee table, despite Nick’s, somewhat incoherent, protests. “No. Yew ain’t gettin’ no more. Now, c’mon. Dinner’s waitin’.”

Rochelle’s expression turned sour as soon as she saw Ellis assisting Nick from falling flat on his face. “God dammit, Nicholas. You couldn’t wait until after dinner to get shitfaced?” Surprisingly, Nick looked at her with a blank expression. “Huh?” Just as she was starting to repeat herself, Nick’s footsteps staggered as he lost his balance. Ellis was quick to tighten his arms around him, successfully stopping the fall. Nick regained his balance(barely) and plopped into a chair at the table and pushed Ellis’ hands away. “Don’ need yer damn help. ‘M fine.”

Dinner went by smoothly. Everyone ate and talked(well, Nick mumbled nonsense.) For once, Nick wasn’t angry and hating the world. The others took note. Maybe it was the fact that he was just trying to concentrate on getting the tomato soup from his bowl to his mouth. Or maybe the fact that being drunk reminded him of the times before the infection. Ellis hoped it was the former, because the latter reason made his heart sink.

After dinner, not much happened. Ellis and Rochelle has each showered(Coach currently was) and they had turned on another movie. Nick continued to try to drink, although Ellis wouldn’t let him, and he eventually gave up, laying on the couch quietly. Just as he was starting to doze, Ellis grabbed his arm. “C’mon, Nick. Let’s get yuh to bed. Ain’t gonna be much help on watch tonight, ‘m afraid.” Nick didn’t give much protest, clearly too drunk and tired to care. Ellis helped him off the couch and together they made their way to the bedroom.

Once in the bedroom, Ellis led Nick to the bed and began to strip him of his shoes. As he came up from getting his shoes off, Nick grabbed his face and pulled it toward his own. The sudden energy from the older man startled Ellis. A small squeak escaped his throat as Nick’s thin, hungry lips took hold of his own. He could taste the whiskey on Nick’s lips; he could smell it invading his senses. Part of him didn’t want to pull away, to take things farther. But he knew he couldn’t. _Not now, El. Not when he’s like this._

Sounds of angry protest left Nick’s throat as Ellis disconnected their mouths. He began to speak, but was interrupted by Ellis. “Not right now, Nick. Yer drunk. Wasted... n’ yew are gon’ prolly be sicker ‘n a dog tomorrow. Just sleep it off, okay? I’m on last watch tonight.”

By the time he had finished talking, Nick was already out. As he settled in bed next to him, Ellis couldn’t help but worry. _He seemed so... empty._

Coach was on first watch. Rochelle had gone to bed not long before Ellis took Nick to bed. Nick. That whole situation bothered him. Nothing had really happened, per se, but Nick was definitely off. And Coach had a suspicion that it wasn’t just due to the alcohol. _Know what they say. Drunk mind speaks a sober heart. Maybe Nicholas doesn’t always feel mad, he just don’t know how else to show how he’s feelin’ ‘bout some things. Maybe he just don’t feel nothin’._

His thoughts were interrupted by sound of movement coming from the hall. His eyes glanced up and he saw Rochelle. She smiled at him as she walked into the living room and sat on the couch. “‘Ey, baby girl.” “Hey, Coach.” It was quiet for a moment, a pregnant pause. “I know he was drunk, but Nick was acting-“ Coach cut her off. “Weird? I know, noticed it too. Was quiet. Real quiet.” “Which is surprising for a drunk guy. I’ll have to ask Ellis about it later. Maybe he knows why Nick acted like that. It was almost like he was upset at something. I mean, I can certainly see why. It’s kind of the end of the world.” She paused, chuckling solemnly. “But it was like there was something more bothering him.”

Coach shrugged. She was right, but there wasn’t really anything they could do. They weren’t mind readers. If Nick didn’t tell them something was wrong then how were they supposed to know about it?

The room fell silent again, only to be broken by a loud clutter outside. Startled, the two hurried to the window to peak through the curtain. When he saw what it was, Coach relaxed and turned toward Rochelle. “Zombie fell into the trash can. Dumb son of a bitch.” Rochelle laughed, relieve covering her features. Coach smiled a warm smile at her and pat her head softly. Go on n’ get some sleep, baby girl. ‘ll wake yo’ when yo’ shift starts.”

When Rochelle woke Ellis up for his turn for watch, it was clear she wanted to ask about Nick, but refrained. Thankfully she did. Ellis didn’t have any idea what was going on with him any more than the rest of them. That was going to change. He was going to talk to Nick and, hopefully, figure out what was bothering him.

Ellis had been sitting in the silent living room for about ten minutes when he bowed his head. Resting is elbows on his knees, he folded his hands. “H-hey, lord. I know it’s been a while since I did this last, n’ I’m awful sorry about that, but listen. Uh. Well. I kinda need yer help. Yuh see, somethin’s been botherin’ Nick real bad. N’ I don’t know what. If yuh could just help me out with that, that’d be mighty helpful. An’, lord, I also want yew tuh make sure Coach n’ Ro are doin’ alright. Okay? Don’t want them tuh be hurtin in silence either, yuh know.” He paused, inhaling a shaky breath. “Also... if yuh know where Keith is, can yuh check on him, too? Last I heard he was on one a them whirlybird that left Savannah. Jus’ want yuh to make sure he’s safe n’ well, too.” Ellis was quiet for a moment, deciding if he should continue. “Okay, big guy. I gotta get back on watch. Talk to yew later. Amen.”

Praying helped Ellis feel a tad bit better. He remembered all the prayers he and his mother would say. She was big on prayer. As he reflected on past prayers, he lost track of time. He wasn’t sure how much time had passed when the door to he and Nick’s shared room opened.

He barely had time to comprehend what was happening before Nick was already across the hall in the bathroom. Ellis got up and quickly made his way to the door. As he neared the bathroom, his suspicions were confirmed as he heard the gagging and retching of a hungover Nick. He knocked lightly on the door. “Nick? Y’alright?” The sounds of labored breathing was followed by a small “no”.

Ellis slowly pushed the door open and saw Nick hunched over the ceramic bowl. His shirt was sticking to his back, dampened from sweat. Ellis’ heart sank as he saw the older man on the ground in such pain. _I knew this would happen._ Wordlessly, he advanced into the bathroom and crouched next to Nick, rubbing his back in small circles. The only sound coming from the bathroom was the occasional gag and retch and the sound of fingers rubbing fabric. “Yuh know, mama used tuh rub muh back like this every time I was sick. Always made me feel better.” Nick didn’t answer; he only groaned and leaned closer to the toilet bowl.

What surprised Ellis was how close Nick was to the toilet. He was hanging off of it. Which, was a relatively normal thing to do when sick. But, not when you were a germaphobe like Nick was. That just confirmed to Ellis how much pain the man was really in. As Nick continued to get sick, Ellis found himself whispering sweet nothings to him in an attempt to make it a little easier.

When he was finally done, Nick leaned back into Ellis, all energy taken from him. Ellis could feel the heat and moisture radiating off of Nick’s skin, but he didn’t care. He rubbed a gentle hand across his forehead in a soothing manner. They were quiet for a while, until Nick grabbed his knee lightly. “Thanks, Ace.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Nellis comfort omfg


	31. Chapter Thirty One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Jerk”

Rochelle couldn’t help but giggle as she entered the kitchen. Nick sat at the table with his head in his hands. Patting him on the back, she couldn’t resist the chance to poke fun. “How ya feelin’ there, big shot?” Nick looked up at her with dark, glaring eyes. “Fuck you.” Normally she would have retaliated, but she could tell that his bark had no bite, so she backed down.

Reaching into the cupboard, she pulled out two glasses and sat them on the counter, filling each with the water from one of the jugs. She put the cap back on the jug and grabbed the glasses. She sat one down in front of Nick and kept the other for herself, sitting in the chair across from him. “Where’s Ellis?” Nick eyed the water, thinking of he should chance it. “Bed. I was up and told him I’d take over.” She raised an eyebrow as she sipped her water. “Sick, I presume?” The disgusted look on his face was enough.

A calm quiet fell over the two that was only broken by the sound of a door opening in the hallway and heavy footsteps shuffling close. Coach’s large frame passed through the archway, slouching from sleep. “Mo’nin, young’ns.” He received two drastically different responses from them. Rochelle’s, a chipper “good morning, Coach.” And Nick’s, a very angry sounding grunt. He plopped himself down into a kitchen chair and heaved a sigh. God damned knee.

The pain that flashed across the ex-football player’s features didn’t go unnoticed by Nick. It was quickly masked by a smile, but Nick saw it. He sent a inquisitive glance his way when he caught a glimpse of something moving in the backyard. Or, rather, something moving the _fence_ in the backyard. Before he could get the words out of his mouth, the large arm of a tank came crashing through the fence. The others turned to see the hunk of muscle stalking through the yard. They were in stunned silence. “Don’t. Fucking. Move.”

It was their intention to let the tank pass. They didn’t want to be noticed. And they almost weren’t. Until clunky boots were heard on the linoleum floor followed by a gasped “Holy shit!” The movement was enough to turn the attention of the beast toward the door, where the glass was the only thing separating them. In an instant, it was charging for the door. “Go!”

The group barely escaped the kitchen when the glass came shattering in. Adrenaline was pumping through their veins as they reached the living room. Without passing glances at the supplies they were leaving, the front door swung open and the four were rushing out of it.

Nick didn’t realize he was missing his shoes until his socked feet his the gravel. He bit his tongue to avoid making a sound as Coach jumped into the cab through the passenger’s side and quickly moved over, pulling the keys out of his pocket and shoving the key into the ignition, turning it. Rochelle was beside him in the cab, screaming. All the words were muffled by the roars of the tank and the subsequent horde it was drawing. Nick and Ellis jumped into the bed of the truck, landing hard. They didn’t feel a thing. Nick felt his mouth opening but didn’t comprehend the words that were coming out of his mouth. “Fucking go we’re in! Go!”

The truck lurched forward as Coach put the pedal to the floor. The tank’s right arm lifted to swing and clipped the tail and of the truck, putting a dent into the side and sending Nick and Ellis tumbling to the other side, colliding with metal.

The faster the truck went, the faster the tank seemed to go. Ellis and Nick pushed as close to the cab of the truck as they could, screaming. They were screaming in fear of the tank, in frustration the truck wasn’t faster, in realization that they lost all their supplies. Every turn felt like a tornado, whipping them around like rag dolls. The turns soon ended as Coach pulled into an empty parking lot. The tank had seemed to have given up interest a while ago, but they kept driving to put some distance between them.

Everyone’s hearts had stopped beating a thousand miles a minute a ways back, leaving them with just confusion. Coach stopped the car and turned the key before opening the door. Rochelle stepped out and moved to check on Nick and Ellis, ensuring they weren’t too banged up. When she poked her head over the side, she was almost head butt by Nick’s head angrily popping up. “What the fuck? All our fucking supplies! We took so many damn turns that I don’t even know how the fuck to get back there! Or where we fucking are now! What the fuck?! We have nothing. No weapons. No medical supplies. I don’t even have _fucking shoes_!”

After his rant, Nick was breathless. A familiar, calloused hand gripped his shoulder. “Calm down, Nick. Jus’ take a seat and we’ll figure sumthin’ out.” Angrily, Nick dropped onto the side of the truck and growled. Coach stood on the other side of the truck, arms resting on the edge of the bed. “Calm yo’self, Nicholas. We found supplies befo’, we’ll find mo’.” Ellis sat next to Nick and pulled his hat off his head, wringing it in his hands. “Gotta say, I’m with Nick on this one. Think a All thu medical supplies we left behind. Canned food is everywhere, but health stuff like that’s less common.”

Tense silence fell over the survivors as Ellis finished speaking. He was right. Coach needed pain killers, Nick needed antibiotics, and they all needed bandages, wraps, and antiseptics. _Looks like it’s fucking time to start again._

Nick looked at his shoeless feet and grimaced. His adrenaline was gone and he felt the dull throbbing from running over sharp gravel. Great. _My fucking shoes. I loved those shoes._

Realization hit Nick like a ton of bricks as soon as he thought about their lost belongings. “Fuck!” Rochelle was startled by his outburst. “Jesus! What?” Nick was out of the truck bed in a second and pacing. “My cigs! They were on the fucking nightstand!” The other three couldn’t help but have a look of irritation. “Boy, of all the lost supplies, yo’ ass is worried ‘bout yo’ smokes?”

He could already feel the anxiety rising once more. This time, he didn’t have cigarettes to help him relax. What the hell was he going to do without them? He ran a slightly shaky hand through his hair as he paced. When he turned, his left foot stepped down onto a particularly sharp pebble.

Before he could stop himself, Nick was cursing, kicking the ground angrily. The others watched, sparing confused glances at one another, as Nick continued to hate the ground. He was talking to himself. “Fucking ground piece of fucking shit thinks it’s goddamned better than everyone else trying to prove it by fucking putting fucking sharp as rocks everywhere fuck you.”

The laughing coming from his friends made him stop. Turning around, he found the three of them nearly in tears. Nick soon found himself chuckling, then laughing, then downright cackling. As the four of them stood, laughing, it was like time stopped. For a moment, they didn’t care about their supplies. They weren’t fearful for their lives. They weren’t running from deadly creatures. _Deadly people._

It was lovely.

After their laughter died down, the four decided to look around. “Ro n’ I’ll go this way. Y’all go that way. Meet back here in an hour.” With that, they split ways. Coach and Rochelle headed back the way the truck had came, and Nick and Ellis headed the opposite direction.

After a few minutes of walking, they found a promising store. It was a corner pharmacy that appeared to still be intact. Gripping the door handle, Nick sent a look to Ellis that said “stay behind me.” Ellis nodded as Nick pulled  the door open.

The store was dark, save for the natural light coming through the window-paneled front. It was a relatively small store, only enough room for a handful of aisles. But, it was enough. They perused the aisles, searching for anything useful. As Ellis turned to enter a different aisle, Nick’s hand grasped his own. He jumped at the contact, but relaxed when realized who it was. Nick pulled him in until they were pressed up against each other. Backing him up into the shelves, Nick took hold of Ellis’ neck with his mouth. He nipped gently at the sensitive skin, enjoying the way Ellis craned his neck to allow him more room.

Ellis couldn’t help the low moan that found its way up his throat. The noise made Nick hungry for more. His hips bucked as he rutted into the boy, desperate for contact. Nick’s mouth found a way up to his own, lips connecting. When Nick’s warm tongue slicked across his bottom lip, he wasted no time opening his mouth, allowing him in. There was something about that tongue that made Ellis’ mind race. His mind was cotton as that tongue invaded his mouth, tangling with his own.

Nick grabbed the hem of Ellis’ jeans, enjoying the gasp he received out of those beautiful lips. He one-handedly unbuttoned them and pulled the zipper down, feeling the soft fabric of Ellis’ cotton briefs. The moan that came from Ellis was enough to send Nick ripping his jeans down to the floor followed by his boxers.

Ellis was caught off guard by the ferocity of Nick, but he found himself smiling. Nick grabbed his hips, eagerly holding them in place. He stepped out of the jeans and briefs as Nick undid his own jeans and pulled his own underwear down, freeing his own hard member. Before Ellis knew what was happening, Nick hoisted him up, gripping his legs for leverage.

Ellis’ back was being pushed up against the shelves, which was less than comfortable, but he didn’t care. He leaned into Nick, capturing the nape of his neck. As he continued to suck on the delicate skin, he was surprised when he felt the stiffness of Nick’s cock penetrating him. He gasped as he was stretched, enjoying the pain. As Nick rocked, Ellis allowed himself to be vocal. There was no one around, so he basked in the ability to be loved by Nick.

Nick grunted and growled as he rutted, going deeper until he couldn’t go any further. He was feeling himself getting closer to orgasm, something he didn’t want to do alone. He moved his mouth to Ellis’ ear, growling a low “jerk” Into it. Ellis understood immediately, grasping his own throbbing erection and pumping it quickly.

The sounds of Ellis being fucked senseless by him was enough, and Nick felt himself tumbling into climax. His hips bucked and he moaned deeply into the young mechanic’s ear. Ellis wasn’t far behind, body shaking in the grasp of the elder man, moaning at a near-scream.

The two stayed intertwined for a while, swimming in the joy of orgasm and each other’s company. Finally, Nick eased Ellis back onto the ground. “Come on, overalls, let’s look for supplies.”

 


	32. Chapter Thirty Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> they knew that this had zombie changed the game; it attracted other zombies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> READ THE NOTES AT THE END FOR AN ANNOUNCEMENT
> 
> Also hope you like this chapter guys! :)

There was a considerable amount of items left strewn about the store. As they walked the aisles, something caught Ellis’ eye. He stepped closer to the box, examine it closely in the midday sunlight.

As his eyes scanned the print on the box, he felt a small smile spread across his cheeks. _Oh, man! Nick’s gonna love this!_ Before the older man could realize what he had found, Ellis opened the box and grabbed the contents, shoving it deep into his back pocket. As soon as he set the box back, Nick’s head poked around from another aisle. “C’mere, sport. I found something.”

Ellis stepped around and stood next to Nick. He was looking straight ahead at a small display. Ellis’ ears turned red as he turned to face away from Nick, slightly embarrassed. “Nick!” Nick let out a low, husky laugh as he put the package back on the hook. “Aw, come on. You don’t want some flower panties?”

Ellis turned his attention back to Nick as he laughed. It was a laugh that he’d never heard before. It sounded... genuine. As they continued around the store, Ellis couldn’t help but watch Nick. His movements. His expressions. Everything. Suddenly, a question popped into his head. “What’s yer full name?” Nick halted, looking at him with a raised brow. “My name?” Ellis shrugged. “Well, yeah. I mean, I saw yer driver’s license once, but not long enough to remember yer name. I know yer last name starts with a G, though.”

Nick focused his attention on the shelves, avoiding eye contact with Ellis. “Nicholas Tate Ghazi. You?” Ellis smiled. _Tate. That’s nice._ “Ellis Joshua McKinney.” Sharing such simple facts like full names now felt so intimate. Not much else was exchanged as they finished looking around the store.

Coach and Rochelle traversed the street carefully. They had no weapons and were treading unfamiliar ground. Luckily, there were hardly any infected. As they walked, they engaged in quiet conversation. “What are we going to do now?” “Find a new place to hold up. Keep movin’. All we can do.”

As much as she hated that answer, Coach was right. There was nothing that they could do about the situation. They drove much too far(and with much too many turns) to even remember where the house was. She sighed as they continued on. “Without the medicine, Nick’s chest won’t heal properly. We can’t have him going down for the count, now can we?” Coach stopped and turned, placing a large hand on her petite shoulder. “I already told yo’, baby girl. Ain’t nothin’ we can do, ‘cept find some mo’. We done it b’fo’, we’ll do it again. Ain’t no sense in worryin’. Nicholas is a strong man. He’ll fight whatever comes at ‘im.” Rochelle didn’t respond; she just started walking again. _I hope you’re right._

The store was empty of valuable supplies except for a couple bottles of water that were left in the, not cool, cooler. Saving the other for Rochelle and Coach, Nick and Ellis passed one between them. They exited the store and continued down the road, with Ellis in the midst of one of his stories. “An’ I told Keith not tuh anger the mama ferret. ‘Course he didn’t listen. Man, that ferret tore intuh him! I ain’t never seen one be so vicious before. It was craz-“ He was cut off by a loud gurgle. They looked around, frantically searching for the source. “What in the hell was that?”

From an alleyway appeared a large, goiter filled zombie. Before either man could react, the zombie opened its mouth, spewing bile onto them. The smell and feeling was enough to make both men gag, but the unsanitary prospect was suddenly the least of their worries as the roar of a horde sounded in the distance. _Shit_. “Fuck!”

Before he could comprehend what he was doing, Nick had a hold of Ellis’ hand and was sprinting in the opposite direction of the horde. His heart pounded in his chest and his bare feet were protesting, but he wasn’t slowing down. Ellis was right beside him, hands still intertwined. Both were panicked. They knew that this zombie had changed the game; it _attracted_ other zombies.

Ellis knew they weren’t going to outrun the infected. Not forever. We need a plan. He looked around, searching for anywhere they could go. Then, he saw it. In an alley to the right, there was a fire escape with a ladder hung low. All they would have to do was jump up and grab the ladder. He stopped, yanking Nick backwards when he did so. Before Nick could say with anything, he pulled him into the alley.

When Nick saw what Ellis had thought of, he couldn’t have been more relieved. His chest burned and he couldn’t really breathe, so he was glad they didn’t have to run anymore. Ellis let go of his hand and bent his knees. Extending his legs, Ellis jumped up and caught the ladder. His muscles in his arm protested as he hauled his weight up the rings of the ladder until he could get his footing. Once his feet were on the ladder, he moved quickly and hollered at Nick. “Jump, Nick!” Nick jumped.

As he grabbed the ladder, he felt his chest burn. He clenched his teeth and climbed through the pain. As he reached the landing of the fire escape, he got on all fours and gripped his chest with his hand. Ellis was by his side, pulling him up. He allowed himself to be pulled up onto his feet and dragged up the stairs. When they got to the first window, Ellis pulled on it, desperately trying to open it. When it wouldn’t budge, he ran up the next flight of stairs.

After running up two more sets of stairs, he couldn’t take it anymore(and neither could Nick.) Ellis stepped back, took a deep breath, and shoved his right foot into the window as hard as he could. The glass cracked with a spiderweb like pattern. He kicked it again. The force of the second kick was enough to shatter the glass and send his leg partially into the hole he’d created. Nick had a grip on him, pulling him back through the window before using his elbow to knock out some of the glass. Ellis used his foot to break most of the glass out so they wouldn’t get too cut up trying to get inside. The horde was getting closer.

Ellis climbed in the window, followed closely behind by Nick. Once they were in the apartment, they took in their surroundings, looking for a closed off room. Nick ran to a closed door and yanked it open, revealing a small bathroom with no windows. They ran in and shut the door behind them. Nick pulled a towel off of its rack and shoved it under the door crack, trying to block their scent.

Calming down, Ellis had an idea. “Take yer clothes off.” Nick looked at him incredulously. “I really don’t think now’s the right time for that, fireball.” He continued to remove his own garments as he chastised Nick. “No, yew ass. Take yer clothes off ‘n put ‘em in the tub. ‘f we run water on ‘em the smell’ll go away. Hopefully.”

_Holy shit that’s genius._

“I think you might be onto something.” Nick paused, throwing his shirt into the tub. “So, I mean, we’re already getting naked-“ Ellis interrupted him, remembering something. “Oh yeah! I jus’ remembered. I gotchu somethin’ in the store we were in.” He fished around in his pocket of his jeans and pulled out a small bottle. Handing it to Nick, he began to pull off his jeans. “Warming lube? Nice.”

Ellis pulled the pants down to the calf when he stopped. Pain sent his eyes looking at his leg, finding a small piece of glass lodged into it. The glass wasn’t deep enough for stitches, but it was deep enough to hurt like a son of a bitch. Ellis gripped the shard and inhaled, gathering his courage before yanking the piece out of his leg. He growled as he removed the glass and tossed it into the sink. When he looked up, Nick was looking at him with worry, despite being in pain himself. “‘M fine, don’t worry. Jus’ a cut.”

Nick nodded and brought a hand up to his chest. He patted the bandages, feeling warmth. His suspicions were confirmed. _Tore my fucking stitches. Again. Fuck._ The blood hadn’t seeped through yet, so he didn’t bring it up as Ellis began to look around the bathroom for a frost aid kit. He opened up the medicine cabinet and found a box of brand-name bandages. He tore them open and grabbed a bigger one out, pulling it out of the paper and peeling off the adhesive sticker before slapping it onto his leg. He threw the paper into the sink and turned back to Nick. “Now, all we gotta do is put some water in the tub an’ wait tuh see if we’re in the clear.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I know at least SOMEONE that reads this likes to draw! So, I want to do a mini fan art contest thing! No places or anything like that, I just want to put links to the pics and stuff in upcoming chapters. If I don’t get any that’s totally okay, but I just really wanna see what you guys would draw a part of the story as, ya know? Like a scene or something like that. So, if you do draw me anything, feel free to send it to me on here or my Wattpad(same name). If there is trouble with submitting them, I could also include an email, so if you try and are having trouble, lemme know!


	33. Note

Hey guys! It has been a really busy time in my life and I haven’t had will or availability to sit and write. Hopefully within the next couple weeks another chapter will be up! Until then, stay well!


	34. UPDATE COMING SOON

Hey all! I’m not dead! I’m going to be updating very very soon so please hang on! Hopefully this weekend it’ll come!!


	35. Thirty Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY GUYS!! IM SO GLAD TO BE BACK! IM SORRY FOR THE SHORT LENGTH AND ANY SPELLING MISTAKES AND ANYTHING LIKE THAT. ALSO IM SO SO SO SORRY FOR THE BREAK I TOOK. BUT I NEEDED IT. I NOW KNOW WHERE IM GOING WITH THIS STORY. I LOVE YOU GUYS!! -M

The sound of the water running from the faucet was deafening in the quiet bathroom. Nick leaned against the sink and allowed himself to breathe. The adrenaline was still pumping furiously through his veins. Once the water was high enough, he and Ellis peeled off their bile soaked clothes and tossed them in the tub. Ellis took every bottle of soap, whether it be shampoo, conditioner, or whatever and emptied it into the water. Then, he grabbed a washcloth that was hanging on the shower rack and dampened it before wiping himself off.

“God damn it’s empty here.” Coach and Rochelle were walking down the middle of a Main Street, but there was no sign of infected. “I wonder why..” Rochelle’s voice softened as she spotted something down the street. Coach’s eyes followed her own and he let out a joyful whoop. “Aw Hell yeah! There’s got to be somethin’ left in there fo’ sho’!”

Wringing their, now decently clean, clothes out was a pain in the ass, but Nick much preferred the look of the clothes as they hung on the curtain rack. “Got practically all the stains out. Nice job, Ace.” Ellis smiled, hands on his hips. “Thank ya, Nick.” The pair fell into silence, both wondering how long it would take for their clothes to dry. _‘Ya know, there’s something we could do to pass the time_.’ As if thinking the same thing, Ellis pushed himself into Nick(which, in turn, pushed Nick further into the sink, the porcelain almost painfully rubbing against his vertebrae.) Their tongues collided, each fighting for dominance. Ellis let Nick have it, allowing his mouth the be explored.

As he felt Nick’s tongue graze across his teeth he began to move his hands. They roamed the older man’s body until they reached his hair, the digits tangling themselves into the black strands. Nick pushed Ellis and himself away from the sink and into the opposing wall. He gripped the boy’s wrists and pinned them over his head. As he did so, he felt a pain in his chest. He inhaled sharply and backed away, his left palm reaching up to grab his bandages.

“Nick? What’s wrong?” The concern on Ellis’ face was enough to make Nick angry. Not at Ellis, but at himself. ‘Why couldn’t you just take the pain you worthless piece of shit.’ Avoiding eye contact, Nick felt his pants, feeling the damp fabric. “I’m fine. Tore some stitches in all the running, but I’m fine.” Ellis’ eyes opened wide. “Whut? Why the hell didn’t yew say somethin’ earlier?!” “Don’t have any way to help, so.” ‘ _Nick, yew are one bullshittin’ motherfucker.’_

 

 


	36. Chapter Thirty Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ive really missed this story and am so glad to be getting back into it. I love you guys!  
> -M  
> Also, credit to Five Stairsteps with their song O-Oh Child and also to Hollister, Dollar Tree, and Tractor Supply if I needed to do the stores I used lololol

The door to the building was ajar, despite the boards that were placed on top of it to keep it from being so. Rochelle looked around and saw the familiar green and white tree logo hanging over the aisles. As the two perused the aisles looking for anything of use, Coach began to hum. It was an old tune that Rochelle recognized right away. Instead of humming, she began to sing the lyrics quietly.

_Ooh-oo child_  
_Things are gonna get easier_  
_Ooh-oo child_  
_Things'll get brighter_  
_Ooh-oo child_  
_Things are gonna get easier_  
_Ooh-oo child_  
_Things'll get brighter_

Coach had stopped humming and began to sing along with her. Even as they examined the store’s contents they continued singing and it was almost as if that song was their saving grace.

_Some day, yeah_  
_We'll get it together and we'll get it all done_  
_Some day_  
_When your head is much lighter_  
_Some day, yeah_  
_We'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun_  
_Some day_  
_When the world is much brighter_

Nick was sat on the toilet as Ellis fussed over him. Their clothes were almost dry at this point and the horde outside was now quiet. ‘ _Maybe they left.._ ’ As if sensing what Nick was thinking, Ellis’ eyes met his. “They might be gone by now and we can start headin’ back. I don’t think there’s anythin’ real good ‘round here.”

Slipping on the slightly damp clothes was a struggle for both men. (I mean come on, you ever try to put on wet jeans? Ew.) it was only after he had gotten fully dressed that Nick remembered that he was only clad in socks. ‘ _How the fuck did I not get glass in my feet?’_ Shaking his head to dismiss the thought, he looked at Ellis. The light gray shirt was still visibly darker than it should be, but the extra moisture might help to keep him cool in the Georgia heat.

As Nick examined him, he noticed something peculiar. “Hollister? What, was the guy in that house trying to look like some preppy teen?”  
Ellis’ eyes narrowed in confusion as he looked down at his wardrobe. “Whut’re yuh talkin’ about?” Nick laughed quietly as he bent down slowly to pick the towel up from underneath the door frame. “The bird on the shirt. It’s a Hollister shirt. Rich teens buy clothes from there to look cool or some stupid shit.”

Ellis, being the less hurt of the two, made the first, tentative step outside of the bathroom. His eyes darted around quickly, scanning the apartment for infected. When he was satisfied it was empty, he stepped out of the doorway, allowing Nick to step out. The shattered glass on the floor by the window was scattered all over, except for one spot. Nick thought that it was Lady Luck herself who made him step there and avoid getting glass shards stuck in his feet.

Even though he had on his boots, Ellis stepped in the clear spot before gripping the window frame and pulling himself out. He reached back in and helped Nick out the window, much to Nick’s dismay. He shot the boy a death glare, but it lacked any true malice as he knew that he was just worried about him. The walk back to the truck was the only real time Nick noticed he wasn’t wearing shoes. The soles of his feet seemed to land on every sharp rock on the road. ‘ _Need to find a damn shoe store or something, Jesus Christ.’_ Ellis could tell what he was thinking. “Feet hurtin’ ya? I think I saw a tractor supply back a ways. Maybe we can getcha somethin’ there.” _‘Tractor supply? What the fuck kind of hillbilly shit do they sell there?‘_

  
Rochelle and Coach went back out of the store pushing a cart of potentially useful items. They found bandages, some clothes, and even a board game(Rochelle insisted on getting it to pass time and have fun.) They had also found a shovel inside the store, which Coach now rested on his shoulder as he walked. There were a few common in the street, but that appeared to be it. The town was mostly deserted. Surely the walk back would be a piece of cake.

  
“You’ve got to be shitting me.” Ellis stops in front of Nick with a size 12 cowboy boot. He smiled and thrust the boots at the older man. “Aw c’mon now, Nick. It’s either these or just them not-so-white-anymore socks.” “I’ll keep the socks, thanks.”

  
Ellis had a smile on his face as he continued to keep an eye on Nick as they walked. Nick clearly wasn’t happy about his new footwear, but they were good quality and were better than nothing. He could tell the conman was starting to slow and fall behind, presumably from his chest. They were almost back to the truck, so he tried to put the air back in his step. “Almost there, Nick. Then yew can rest yer self. Won’t wake ya none.” Nick could only roll his eyes, despite his silent prayers that Ellis was right about the distance.

  
The truck was just the way they had left it. Empty. The two men smiled as they reached the vehicle. Nick wasted no time climbing into the cab and letting his tired body melt into the padded seats. Ellis followed suit and climbed in the other side. The two of them sat in silence, Nick resting his head on Ellis’ shoulder and Ellis resting his head on Nick’s head. The only noise was that of their breathing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cute fluffy Nellis is my weakness


	37. IM BACK

Hey guys! I am sorry for the break, ive had a busy couple of months but I am going to be continuing this story. I am also thinking of writing an until dawn story, so let me know if youd want that! -M


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